Can Jason Mackay’s Zipping Tess Hold Out The Vics In The Ultra Sense Final?
After three arduous weeks of competition, Sydney's premier evening of greyhound racing is finally here. Tomorrow eighty of Australia's best chasers will line up across ten spectacular races for 2013 Golden Easter Egg night which will see over $615,000 handed out in prize money to some extremely jubilant connections.
The first of the feature events is race two – The Ultra Sense Final over 520 metres. The 4/5 grade listed event is named after the great Ultra Sense who took out the inaugural running of the Golden Easter Egg over twenty years ago in 1990. This year it has attracted some sensational chasers from around NSW as well as interstate, all vying for a crack at the $15,000 winners cheque.
Nearly every runner in the final has a genuine chance of taking out the race with the prized cherry box going to the Sharron Webster trained Lagoon Lowanna. The black bitch has won seventeen races including three victories at The Ultimo circuit with a scorching 29.84 second personal best over the distance; however this will certainly be one of her biggest tests to date. Despite this she can begin like a rocket, previously clocking a 5.37 first split so she has the potential to be racing up with the leaders at the first turn, the only question being if she can hold off the Victorian ‘big guns'.
Time honours from the heats are held by Victorian powerhouse Gold Town, who has drawn favourably in box two. The son of Surf Lorian was ‘ultra' impressive in taking out his heat last week, recording a scintillating 29.49 seconds at only his second track start, which gave the track record (at the time) a definite shake. If he runs like he did last week he should be in the finish.
Drawn on his outside in box three is the stunning white and blue El Brooklyn, trained by champion mentor Jason Thompson. The El Galo speedster has a flying personal best of 29.78 seconds over the track and distance, with her only downfall being her box manners which can bring even the best dogs undone at the elite level. Regardless the talented bitch has a fantastic chance of taking out the final, with 21 career victories to her name including the 2013 Healsville Cup. Whilst she will need to begin at her best she does look to have a fantastic shot at taking out the race, and should start as favourite.
Beginning from the blue will be the talented pup My Signature. The black dog by champion sprinter Talk's Cheap has no early speed and generally walks out of the boxes, however he has one of the biggest motors you will ever see once he hits the ground. This was demonstrated at Gosford when he posted a near track record, running a breathtaking 29.40 seconds for the 515 metre trip. Whilst his speed is evident it is difficult to see him claiming the race, with most of the field being excellent beginners, he will find it hard to run them down in the flying time that will inevitably be posted.
Hunter Valley conditioner Jason Mackay will be hoping that smart young sprinter Zipping Tess can open his winning account for the night as she exits from the awkward box five. The brindle daughter of Bit Chilli and prolific producer Al Fresco has been a handy asset to her on fire kennel, claiming nine impressive victories in her short career of just sixteen starts. Beginning well from box four in last week's heats, Zipping Tess made every post a winner clocking a fast first section of 5.42 seconds and a stunning overall time of 29.79 seconds. With a slow beginner on her inside the race may well be set up for her if she is good enough to keep with the Victorian duo.
Jerrawa performer Typhoon Banquet has everything stacked against him jumping from box six, with the son of Goodsey having to deal with both a wide draw and an extremely fast beginner on his direct outside. The two year old has not won at the Ultimo circuit, and despite running a handy 29.96 seconds behind heat winner Incumbent last week, he will need to produce his absolute best to threaten the other runners.
Maitland track specialist Little Miss Sparkle is boxed well out wide in seven as she does like to use a bit of the track. The 24 kilogram lightweight is a group one finalist and should run a cheeky race, with stunning victories in 29.59 seconds at Unibet Gardens and 25.25 seconds at Maitland to her name with her only city win recorded in 30.29 seconds from box eight. Whilst it may not look too impressive in this company, it was definitely a dominant win, with the pint sized speedster knocked wide around the first turn and having to chase down the leader to claim victory. If she can be up with the leaders at the first turn, she is in with a chance of snaring the race.
Last but certainly not least is the Peter Sims trained Incumbent who will begin from box eight. A son of international sire Premier Fantasy, the black chaser has plenty of class which he demonstrated when claiming his heat last week in emphatic fashion clocking a phenomenal 29.82 seconds for the 520 metre journey. Whilst he is the least experienced of the eight runners, he is quickly developing into a Wentworth Park specialist winning four of his five starts. The speedster should not be worried by the wide draw as he has won 3 of his 4 starts from the pink alley- one of which was last week's heat. His biggest concern is being drawn on the outside of Little Miss Sparkle who has the nasty tendency of drifting off at the first turn.
In a very tough race it would be expected that the Victorian raiders will fight it out, however it is hard to ignore Jason Mackay's Zipping Tess who has the definite advantage of a slow beginner on her inside. Whilst both Little Miss Sparkle and Incumbent are suited out wide, they run the risk of causing each other trouble in the early stages which might just open the race up for Zipping Tess and the Victorian duo, Gold Town and El Brooklyn, who should fight out the finish.