Champion stayer Palawa King adds fifth Group 1 with Association Cup
Australia’s premier stayer, Palawa King, cemented his reputation by winning the 2024 Group 1 Association Cup on Golden Easter Egg night, Saturday, April 20, 2024.
Trained by Jack Smith, ‘The King” added a fifth Group 1 title to his impressive career record, and his first Group 1 title in NSW.
The win also gave Smith his first Association Cup as a trainer.
Smith had previously won the feature Wentworth Park staying race as an owner when Irinka Barbie won the 2004 Group 1 Association Cup when trained by his late uncle, John Finn.
Greyhound punters sent the Forbes trained stayer out as the +160 second favourite with greyhound betting sites.
On Saturday night, the son of Feral Franky and Maximum Dos showed the benefit of being a seasoned stayer, leaving the boxes in second last before casually railing up to fourth by the time the field passed the 520 metre boxes the first time.
The 63 start veteran demonstrated his learned maturity to cruise around Canya Amy and What Can Do through the catching pen corner, with only early leader Al’s Entity left to reel in.
Once in the back straight, the 34kg comfortably reeled in the tiring leader, before going on to win the $75,000 to-the-winner Group 1 final in 42.06 by 2.0 lengths from Canya Amy, with +140 race favourite, Valpolicella, a further 1.5 lengths back in third.
2024 Group 1 Association Cup – Palawa King (42.06) T: Jack Smith
Palawa King has now won 27 of his 63 race starts running a further 33 placings.
The black dog is closing in on seven figures in career earnings, having now earned connections $904,825 in prizemoney.
Smith was effusive about his talented chaser after the race, saying, “We’re just so lucky to have him.”
“Here we are with a dog that’s won close to a million bucks now.
“It’s ridiculous.”
Palawa King’s earnings could be poised for a huge boost in the coming weeks, with heats of the 2024 The 715 set to be run at The Gardens next weekend.
The 715 final is worth $500,000 to-the-winner and Palawa King would be an overwhelming pre-post favourite to win the feature Newcastle staying race after finishing third in the same race last year.
“Palawa King finished third in the 715 last year but is racing better now,” Smith said.
“Where last year he would charge into his rivals, he now waits and bides his time, threading his way through the field.”
Palawa King adds the 2024 Group 1 Association Cup to his other titles, the 2023 Group 1 Queensland Cup at Albion Park, the 2023 Group 1 National Distance Championship Final at The Meadows, the 2023 Group 1 Bold Trease at Sandown, and the 2024 Group 1 Fanta Bale Stayers at The Meadows.
The champion stayer has also been placed in the 2023 Group 1 Topgun Stayers and 2023 Group 1 Zoom Top, both at The Meadows.
He made the final of the 2023 Group 1 National Derby at Wentworth Park over 520 metres, and has also won the 2023 Group 1 State Of Origin Stayers at Albion Park.
2024 Group 1 Association Cup
2024 Association Cup Results Wentworth Park 720m Group 1 $75,000 to-the-winner Saturday, April 20, 2024 42.06
|
|
| 1st |
5 Palawa King
T: Jack Smith 42.06 – $75,000 +160
|
| 2nd |
4 Canya Amy
T: Dave Smith 42.20 2.0 lengths $15,000 +340
|
| 3rd |
8 Valpolicella
T: Tony Zammit 42.30 3.5 lengths $10,000 +140
|
| 4th |
2 Sin Rap Explode
T: Shaun Parnis 42.42 5.25 lengths +1200
|
| 5th |
6 Misty Black
T: Shane Drommond 42.77 10 lengths +10000
|
| 6th |
3 Al’s Entity
T: Darryl Thomas 42.84 11 lengths +1200
|
| 7th |
7 Goulburn Girl
T: Greg Hore 43.02 13.75 lengths +10000
|
| 8th |
1 What Can Do
T: Craig Benjamin 43.04 14 lengths +5000
|