2017 Group 1 Bold Trease heats recap and final box draw
CHAMPAGNE Sally (Barcia Bale x Bizarre Barbie Apr '15) continued her brilliant run of form with a big win in the final heat of the Group 1 Bold Trease (715m) at Sandown Park on Friday night.
The Queenslander, trained by Ray Burman, began well, vying for the early lead with Teddy Monelli (Mogambo Bale x Jackie Bale Dec '14) before eventually rolling to the top.
In the closing stages Champagne Sally was threatened by WA stayer Moment To Jive (Mogambo x Sharon Monelli Apr '15), but she had enough in the tank to hold on to win by just under a length in a quick 41.96.
Champagne Sally has now won four of her past five starts including a sizzling 36.68 track record performance at Ipswich over 630m on October 7.
Rockoon sensational at distance debut
ROCKOON (Peter Rocket x Raya Riot Jun '15) made a successful debut over the staying trip with a strong win in his heat of the Group 1 Bold Trease at Sandown Park.
The white and black dog began well from box seven, but had to work hard to find the front early as the leading division bunched up.
Once he found the lead the Group 1 Hume Cup winner made ever post a winner, charging to the winning post to defeat Packey Keeping (Bekim Bale x Kim Keeping May '15) in a solid 41.92.
Rockoon took his record to 24 starts for 10 wins and eight minor placings, having now earned more than $120,000 for Lisa and Keith Hellmuth who also bred the staying star of the future.
Fanta Bale flawless
FANTA Bale (David Bale x Ucme Typhoon Aug '14) is one step closer to becoming the third greyhound to win $1 million in prize money after taking out a heat of the Group 1 Bold Trease (715m) at Sandown Park.
The Robert Britton trained bitch jumped flawlessly from box three and was never headed as the $1.30 favourite, charging to the line to salute by close to four and a half lengths in 41.78.
Her prize money now sits at $994,170, meaning she will only need to fill a placing in next Friday's $100,000 to the winner final to join the elusive seven figure club.
She will undoubtedly be the favourite for the race given she is already an eight time group winner, having won 33 of her 50 starts.
Marty Hallinan booked a spot in the final with his handy bitch Zipping Lady (Barcia Bale x Scarlett Girl Jan '15) which was sent to the boxes as the $43 outsider.
Punters who backed Zipping Lady to win the decider prior to the heats will be cheering for another upset in the final, with leading bookie TopBetta offering a massive $401 throughout the week.
Ebby Ripper takes out heat one
EBBY Ripper (Sh Avatar x Ebby Miss Feb '15) booked the first spot in next Friday's Group 1 Bold Trease (715m) at Sandown Park with a breathtaking win in her heat of the $100,000 to the winner feature.
Sent to the boxes as a $4 shot off box four, the Michael Eberand-trained bitch was at the back of the field in the early stages as Inequity (Dashing Corsair x Velocity Zip Jan '15) and Destroyer (Spring Gun x Icy's Girl Apr '15) slipped into first and second respectively.
Ordinary camera work prevented the middle stages of the race from being shown and when the vision found the field again, Ebby Ripper had already started her run, charging down the outside and storming down the centre of the track in the straight to win by two lengths in 41.89.
WA greyhound Petunia Monelli (Bella Infrared x Lara Monelli Apr '15) finished second, with Destroyer tiring in the closing stages to round out the trifecta back in third.
Prepared in NSW, Ebby Ripper has now won 16 of her 54 starts. She will be looking for her first group win in the final, having won the Listed Cup Night Stayers, finished second in the Group 3 Wentworth Park Gold Cup, third in the Group 2 Summer Distance Plate and been a finalist in another five group finals, two at group 1 level.