All Spritzed Up looks to further his career in Great Chase Final

winning his 2022 semi final at The Meadows (525m) in 29.78 for trainer Anthony (Photo: Jason McKeown)

believes All Spritzed Up can further his credentials with victory in The Great Chase Final at The Meadows on Wednesday.

The victor of the 2019 Cup with Whiskey Riot can see many similar champion qualities in his two-year-old, who will be the one to beat in the Group 3 feature over 525m with the winner receiving $47,000.

All Spritzed Up was the clear top performer from the semi-finals, comfortably producing the fastest time of 29.78 seconds last Wednesday.

It was a very impressive showing on a wet track.

“I'm pretty happy with him, that's for sure,” Azzopardi told Australian Racing Greyhound.

“He showed us what he can do, and I don't think the track was that quick either.

“I just hope he can again this week.

“He's certainly up to his eyeballs in it, anyway.

“But he's not a winner until he's past the post.”

Azzopardi believes All Spritzed Up reminds him of Whiskey Riot, who was also aged two when he saluted in the Melbourne Cup three years ago.

And that is where the Victorian conditioner will aim him if he impresses on Wednesday night.

“He keeps improving and he keeps finding. I think the sky is the limit with him,” Azzopardi said.

“His only downfall is he probably doesn't have that brilliant early speed.

“He's in that 5.15-second area.

“With the good ones you've got to get in that right position to more.

“But I'm just hoping he can improve his first section.

“If he improves his first section it'll be pretty exciting.”

Despite showing his Melbourne Cup credentials, Azzopardi doesn't want to look too far ahead in this early stage of his star chaser's career.

“We'll be looking at the Melbourne Cup, or we might go to the Cup with him,” he said.

“I think I'm going to run out of time for that (Ipswich Cup), I'm not 100 per cent sure.

“Just get through Wednesday and see how he pulls up.

“And then we'll get out the book and see what we've got for him.

“But in a Melbourne Cup nothing can go wrong.

“You've got to draw right and have the right dogs around you.

“Winning the heat to get in is the hardest thing.

“He's definitely got the ability to be there, but you've got to have luck with him too.

“You've got to get the right boxes and have the right dogs around him.”

Azzopardi is happy with the three box which All Spritzed Up drew for The Great Chase Final.

“I'm pumped. That's where we wanted him to be. We wanted one to three,” he said.

“It was the third choice and we're very excited for it.

“Regardless of what he runs, we hope he pulls up well.

“He certainly has a chance, but I respect all the dogs in the race.”

Meanwhile, Azzopardi believes kennelmate and fellow two-year-old Deadly Class also has a bright future.

“I've got a really nice dog called Deadly Class,” he said of his chaser, who tasted Group 3 success over 530m at on September 15.

“He's just learning how to race now.

“He knows how to put himself in a position where he can win.

“He's an extremely fast dog and he's got a lot of wow factor about him.

“He's still green and like a puppy, but he's starting to put it all together.”

Azzopardi – with a decorated resume due to his Group 1 success over the years – said you cannot go past race-day experience when turning promising young dogs into top feature winners.

“You just keep racing them until they learn,” he said.

“You can't really train them to use their heads.

“You've just got to race them and hopefully they learn themselves, and then they've got to do the rest for you.”

2022 Great Chase Semi Final 3 – All Spritzed Up (29.78) Trainer: Anthony Azzopardi


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