Dash Of Blue triumphant in 2023 Shane McQueen final
On a remarkable Thursday night at Angle Park the Shane McQueen final over the middle distance was the feature race, taken out in front-running style by Dash Of Blue.
Amidst a spirited and balanced field that emerged from four Shane McQueen heats the previous week, the Richard Pearce owned and trained Dash Of Blue edged out Could Be King and Springvale Max in a nail-biting finish, winning in 34.41.
Launching from the advantageous box one, Dash Of Blue seized the lead, maintaining a hold over Springvale Max and Could Be King in the initial section of the race.
A check from Could Be King around the turn provided Ravers Army with a chance to slip into the competition down the back, yet Dash Of Blue found an extra burst of speed, skillfully keeping the rapidly closing Could Be King at bay late, while Springvale Max secured the third place.
2023 Shane McQueen Final (Ange Park, 600m) – Dash Of Blue (34.41) T: Richard Pearce
Post-race, an elated Pearce expressed his delight at Dash Of Blue's performance, particularly given the greyhound's solid performance behind Could Be King in the previous week's heats.
“He followed up a good run last week where he finished well,” shared Pearce.
Despite a training mishap with the Cherylee Barber-bred Dash Of Blue that left him nursing a black eye, Pearce was in high spirits following the win.
Having trained for a significant period, Pearce voiced his gratitude for Dash Of Blue's performance, underlining the significance of winning a race of the Shane McQueen's prestige.
“It is a special night,” he stated, acknowledging it had been some time since he'd had a greyhound of such calibre.
“It has been a while since I have had a good dog. I have had Pancho and a few other good dogs but that was a really good win, he is a handy dog.”
Pearce's future plans include pushing Dash Of Blue's boundaries out to the 730m distance.
Given his half-brother Bedrock Fred's past achievements over such a distance, there are high expectations that Dash Of Blue could also see significant success in this arena.
By My Redeemer out of Dashing Dee Dee, Dash Of Blue has now won nine of 32 race starts, with a further 18 placings, earning $25,733 for Pearce.