Aston Barak qualifies fastest for 2022 Group 3 Goulburn Cup final
Four heats of the $25,000 to-the-winner 2022 Group 3 Goulburn Cup (440m) were held at the Friday twilight Goulburn greyhound meeting, and Aston Barak emerged as the leading chance for next week's final with a 24.49 heat win.
Winning heat three of 2022 Goulburn Cup, the Jason Fletcher-trained greyhound navigated the circuit three lengths faster than the next fastest qualifiers Mellcat Big Boy (24.65) and Yuko Girl (24.66) who both came through heat one.
Aston Barak led from the boxes and gave nothing else a chance leading all the way from box two in 5.49, 24.49. The son of Aston Dee Bee and Fantastic Skye took his record to 24 wins and nine placings from 52 career starts with $146,520 in prizemoney.
The box draw for next Friday's final was drawn after the heats, and Aston Barak will have to overcome the move to box five to win the final which would be his first black type career win. Aston Barak's only other group race appearance was in the Group 1 2021 Vic Peters Classic where he finished well down the track behind Bandit Ned.
Notably though, Aston Barak has now raced 11 times around Goulburn for nine wins and a placing, having never finished worse than fourth.
Mowski Star finished second 5.75 lengths away in 24.89 to qualify for the final.
2022 Group 3 Goulburn Cup Heat 3 (440m) – Aston Barak (24.40) Trainer: Jason Fletcher
Mellcat Big Boy used box eight to perfection to claim Yuko Girl in the shadows of the post to win heat one of the cup after Yuko Girl set up what looked a race winning lead running a 5.45 first section.
Both greyhound will qualify for next weeks final after Mellcat Big Boy hit the line in 24.65, and Yuko Girl qualified in 24.66.
The box draw has given Yuko Girl every chance in the final having drawn box three inside the two other leading chances, with Mellcat Big Boy in box four and Aston Barak in box five.
2022 Group 3 Goulburn Cup Heat 1 (440m) – Mellcat Big Boy (24.65) Trainer: John Mellon
Heat two of this year's Goulburn Cup went the way of 2022 Million Dollar Chase (MDC) finalist Agland Lua who raced outside early leader Esther's Thrill before racing away for a commanding 24.68 win by 5.25 lengths.
Agland Luai has now won 10 races and finished second six times from 29 starts with $58,820 in the bank. The son of Fernando Bale and She's Grand was still a maiden just eight months ago, and is definitely improving with racing and age
Race favourite and Victorian country cups greyhound Ferdinand Boy uncharacteristically missed the start and had to scramble hard to barely qualify for next Friday's final. The David Geall-trained greyhound remains a viable chance to take out the Goulburn Cup after having drawn box eight in the final.
2022 Group 3 Goulburn Cup Heat 2 (440m) – Agland Luai (24.68) Trainer: Jay Opetaia
The final heat of the cup will be very unlikely to provide Friday's final winner after Wiradjuri Jack and Father Rick poked through late to claim the qualifying positions in a pedestrian 25.01.
Cowgirl Ethics and Good Odds Buzz jumped to the early lead in the race and proceeded to stack the field up for the majority race, which contributed to the slow time.
2022 Group 3 Goulburn Cup Heat 2 (440m) – Wiradjuri Jack (25.01) Trainer: Neil Staines
The box draw for the Group 3 Goulburn Cup final was conducted after the heats and has thrown the final open by drawing three of the main chances alongside each other in the squeeze boxes, while Victorian greyhound Ferdinand Boy will get all favours out-wide from box eight.
The Goulburn Cup final will be held Friday night October 21 2022.
2022 Group 3 Goulburn Cup Final
2022 Goulburn Cup Final Field Box DrawGoulburn440m$25,000 to-the-winnerGroup 3
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1 Wiradjuri Jack
T: Neil StainesF: 7121Career: 22: 9-4-1
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2 Mowski Star
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3 Yuko Girl
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4 Mellcat Big Boy
T: John MellonF: 8311Career: 43: 18-6-4
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5 Aston Barak
T: Jason FletcherF: 8131Career: 52: 24-4-5
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6 Father Rick
T: Ray WebsterF: 4312Career: 35: 15-7-1
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7 Agland Luai
T: Jay OpetaiaF: 1451Career: 29: 10-6-0
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8 Ferdinand Boy
T: David GeallF: 8622Career: 97: 51-19-6
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| Reserves | |
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9 Coco Model
T: Tayt CorlessF: 3663Career: 43: 15-7-9
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10 Gatlin
T: John FinnF: 8133Career: 32: 11-6-9
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