Calico Bluff dominates Maitland Future Stars maiden final
Calico Bluff delivered a breakout performance in the Listed Maitland Future Stars Maiden Final (400m) on Friday night, surging to a commanding victory in 22.25 seconds.
The Adam Jones-trained youngster secured the $15,000 top prize with an explosive start and a decisive finish, living up to his potential in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
Breaking from Box 6, Calico Bluff displayed early speed, clocking a first sectional of 5.32 seconds.
He quickly crossed to the lead, with Forged Iron in pursuit, while Spring Laver and Right Said Ed jostled for positions further back.
By the home turn, Calico Bluff had established a clear lead, pulling away to win by 3.75 lengths at $6.00 with the leading greyhound bookmakers.
Maitland Future Stars Race Replay – Calico Bluff (22.25)
For trainer Adam Jones, the victory was a momentous occasion. Speaking post-race, Jones expressed pride in his greyhound’s maturity and improvement over his brief career.
“Feeling really good…. We knew the five was quick early. We were hoping it would cart us across, which it did. And, yeah, he just got around it, and it was never beyond doubt then.”
“He’s just a real green puppy… Now he’s just progressively getting better, starting to find what it’s all about now.”
Calico Bluff’s win marked the first victory in his five-start career, during which he has already displayed consistent promise with three runner-up finishes.
The son of Feral Franky and Absolute Stella had entered the final as an outsider but proved too strong for his rivals, making a statement in his biggest race to date.
The Future Stars Maiden has a storied history of producing standout performers, with past winners such as Zipping Kyrgios and Good Odds Harada going on to achieve Group 1 success.
When asked where this win ranks among his best, Jones said, “This win is right up there with the best.”
Runner-up Forged Iron, trained by Kerry Schmitzer, ran gamely but was no match for Calico Bluff’s early brilliance. Spring Laver rounded out the placings with a determined effort to finish third.
Maitland Future Stars 2024 results – Maitland
2024 Maitland Future Stars ResultsMaitland 400m Listed $15,000 to-the-winner Friday, December 6, 2024
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| 1st |
6 Calico Bluff
T: Adam JonesTime: 22.25Margin:
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| 2nd |
5 Forged Iron
T: Kerry SchmitzerTime: 22.52Margin: 3.75 Lengths
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| 3rd |
4 Spring Laver
T: Scott BoardTime: 22.53Margin: 4 Lengths
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| 4th |
8 Right Said Ed
T: Anthony DawsonTime: 22.85Margin: 8.5 Lengths
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| 5th |
1 Unleash Beetson
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6th |
2 Unleash Brady
T: Peter LagogianeTime: 22.95Margin: 10 Lengths
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| 7th |
3 Delicate
T: Jason MackayTime: 23.07Margin: 11.75 Lengths
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8th |
7 Matt Jet Power
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