Big Names Go Down In Top Cat Video Cup Heats
While all the big names advanced to next Saturday night’s Group Three Top Cat Video Cup final, the heats certainly threw up a couple of surprises at The Meadows on Saturday night.
Accomplished half-miler Dyna Willow ($13.20) provided the biggest shock when she rekindled some of her best form with the fastest win of the two qualifiers.
The daughter of Collision and Horizon Bale (Stately Bird – Vodeena Bale) stopped the clock at 42.58 and managed to stave off the fast finishing Sweet It Is en route to her first win since April.
The 29kg red brindle bitch left box six moderately and bided her time midfield before slipping up the rails on the home turn to hit the front and prevail by a length. Sweet It Is, Zipping Rory and Shot To Bits filled the next three placings in that order and all qualify for next week’s final.
Earlier, promising bitch Zipping Maggie lowered the colours of Xylia Allen for the second consecutive week when she registered her sixth straight victory.
After jumping from box eight, the daughter of Turanza Bale and Natalie Rass (Malfoy – Al Fresco) stormed home to claim Xylia Allen (4) right on the line just in front of Bailey Rose (3). Zell Bale finished fourth to also advance to the final.
Zipping Maggie registered the time of 43.05 and showed her share of tenacity to dig deep and overhaul the early leaders. That is particularly impressive given the contrast to her Group Three Chairman’s Cup win a week earlier where she was able to lead for most of the race.
The quality of greyhounds that qualified for the $25,000 to-the-winner event should ensure that we have a mouth watering final next Saturday night.
Qualifiers for the Group Three Top Cat Video Cup (In no particular order);
Zipping Maggie (Peter Daprain)
Xylia Allen (Jenny Hunt)
Bailey Rose (Eddie Lieshout)
Zell Bale (Steve Collins)
Dyna Willow (Steve Collins)
Sweet It Is (Darren McDonald)
Zipping Rory (Bethany Daprain)
Shot To Bits (Paul Ryder)
Reserves
Paris Sparks (Dennis Pulis)
Can Can Hurrican (Patrick Bouchier)