Easy Peasy Does It The Hard Way To Win Launching Pad
Easy Peasy overcame considerable interference to score a sensational win for master Devon Meadows trainer Darren McDonald in the $36,000 Group 2 Launching Pad at Sandown Park tonight.
Sent to the boxes as a $4.10 favourite in an open betting race, Easy Peasy bounced out of the boxes and into Martili Bale ($4.30) as Hutmaker ($4.30) and Zero's Hero ($9.50) challenged for the lead through the first turn. Easy Peasy recovered to rail through to third but was again checked by Zero's Hero before cannoning into King Ashy ($32.80).
The son of Pure Octane soon regained his feet and again set off in pursuit of the leading duo, reducing the margin to the leading Hutmaker to three lengths coming off the back straight.
Easy Peasy stuck to the rails, and as Hutmaker rolled off the fence on turning for home, Easy Peasy powered through to the gap to storm to a 1.25 length win in 29.70.
“I was very pleased to see him do what he did,” said a delighted McDonald after the race.
“He got into a bit of traffic on the first corner and when Hutmaker skipped away with a good break I thought we might run second. It was a good effort from a young dog to come from behind class dogs in a ripping race and finish off the race the way the way he did was very impressive.
The win was the second in Launching Pad success for the 2010 Australian Greyhound Racing Association Trainer of the Year having previously tasted success with Path To Power in 2006.
Path To Power went on to compete in two Group 1 finals, and while reluctant to compare the greyhounds, McDonald was confident of a bright future.
“He's still learning how to race. He does seem to like to rail and is very strong so we might look to step him up in distance later on.”
The win was the sixth of Easy Peasy's blossoming career (and fourth from five starts at Sandown Park), and took his career prizemoney to $37,025.