Collins Aims For Second Australian Cup Win After Zara Zulu Draws Red Box
Greyhound breeder and studmaster Geoff Collins will aim to win his second Group 1 Rover Mowers Australian Cup after the speedy Zara Zulu – trained by partner Rosalyn Hume – drew perfectly in box one for next Saturday's $175,000-to-the-winner final.
Collins won the race as an owner in 2002 when Isa Brown claimed the Group 1 classic for trainer Rob Britton, and looks to have a genuine chance with his talented chaser.
The daughter of Mogambo and Zulu Zepha took out the first of the Australian Cup heats in a sizzling 29.75 after near-record splits of 4.95 and 17.54, and has drawn perfectly for the Group 1 classic this Saturday. Her time was only matched by reigning Victorian Greyhound of the Year Dyna Tron, who returned to form after a run of outs in 2012. The son of Collision and Gold Rush Bale has drawn awkwardly in box six in Saturday's final. Victory would push his prizemoney to over $600,000, making him only the second dog in Australian history to reach the lofty mark.
Master trainer Graeme Bate will aim for his third Australian Cup success after Gordon Bale (box eight) and David Bale (box three) made their way through to the rich final after impressive heat wins.
Recent Group 1 Perth Cup winner Oaks Road gets his chance to record another big-race victory after a gutsy 29.89 win in heat six, but has also drawn awkwardly in box seven.
Next week's Australian Cup final caps off an amazing three weeks of racing at The Meadows, where over $800,000 in prizemoney has been won in another outstanding carnival. With AFL stars Joel Selwood and Tom Hawkins on course, loads of children's entertainment and heaps of TAB betting prizes on offer, next Saturday evening promises to be one of the biggest nights of racing on the Australian racing calendar.
2012 Australian Cup Final Box Draw
$175,000 to the winner (525m)
Box 1 – Zara Zulu – Rosalyn Hume – 29.75
Box 2 – Peggy May – Jason Thompson – 30.01
Box 3 – David Bale – Graeme Bate – 29.83
Box 4 – Audacious Elle – Michael Fearnley – 29.82
Box 5 – Soda Boy – Peter Giles – 30.09
Box 6 – Dyna Tron – Andrea Dailly – 29.75
Box 7 – Oaks Road – Mark Gatt – 29.89
Box 8 – Gordon Bale – Graeme Bate – 29.77
1st res – Allen Hertz – Graeme Bate – 29.87
2nd res – Lacomare – Malcolm Hirtzel – 30.27