Forty Twenty Scores Maidment Memorial Win
Forty Twenty claimed the second Group race of his career with a hard fought victory in the $36,000 Group 2 Maidment Memorial at Sandown Park tonight.
Having his second start at Sandown Park, Forty Twenty ($5.10) showed great track sense to rail strongly after a poor start and took up second position behind favourite Next Top Model ($1.60) as they entered the home straight the first time.
Forty Twenty continued to rail, taking the lead as Join The Queue ($37.70) made his run. However the Central Coast stayer never left the rail in the run to the line and defeated Next Top Model by 2.75 lengths in 42.45.
“To race here at Sandown Park at such a great track is a huge thrill,” said ecstatic trainer John Heard.
“I stayed at Stevan Shinner's place (in Pearcedale) and I've been treated like royalty. It's been a fantastic thrill and I'll back here with Forty Twenty real soon.”
The win was Forty Twenty's second at Group level and took his career earnings to almost $120,000.
Heard will now set his star stayer for the Group 2 Gold Cup at Wentworth Park before taking aim at Australia's richest race for stayers, the $143,000 Group 1 Radio Sport 927 Sandown Cup.
Earlier in the night, Jason Thompson's exciting youngster Shredded Cheese took out the $14,500 GOTBA Cup in a slick 29.88.
The next major is the Group 2 Zoom Top invitational at the Meadows on February 13 followed by the Australian Stayers Trophy, a Group 1 decided on February 20 and 27 as part of the M.G.R.A.
Australian Cup Carnival. Then in April Sandown host the Group 3 Lizrene Classic as a lead up event to the Group 1 Radio Sport 927 Sandown Cup worth $100,000 to the winner on May 13th.
After the placed runners the field finished in the following order 4th Smokin' Ichiban ($17.30), 5th Jarvis Bale ($5.00), 6th Kay Cee Power ($42.10) 7th Republican ($47.00) and Guacamole fell ($18.70).
Forty Twenty is raced by Ron Bennett and trained by John Heard at North Entrance in New South Wales, he is a White & Black dog whelped March '07 by Big Daddy Cool from Westend Kaitlyn (Token Prince x Louisiana Lass). His career stats stand at 38 starts for 22 wins and 12 placings and with the first prize of $25,000 for the Maidment Memorial took his prizemoney earnings to $119,720.
The Group 2 final pays tribute to the memory of Roy Maidment who, in 1933, became the Secretary of the National Coursing Association. One of his greatest achievements was the part he played in the formation of the Australian and New Zealand Greyhound Association in 1937 and the subsequent production of our Greyhound Stud Book. He was Secretary of the Association from its inception until 1965.
Roy Maidment was Secretary of the first Greyhound Racing Control Board and assisted the Board in laying the foundation for conduct of a sport that has such a strong following today.
The Maidment Memorial was first run in 1972 but prior to that year was known as the New Years Handicap, Gift and Stake. First conducted in 1957, it has always been run over the long distance.
Listed below is the honour roll of past winners included those known that won the New Years Handicap, Gift or Stake.
Maidment Memorial Honour Roll
- 1957 Red Salmon
- 1959 Montgrove Special
- 1961 Sprig O';Heather
- 1962 Lady Cantee
- 1963 Lady Cantee
- 1964 Shan's Blossom
- 1965 Rare Grand
- 1966 Kewin
- 1967 Charlie Lee
- 1968 Lyrette
- 1969 Fawn Roamer
- 1970 Delacombe Boy
- 1971 Miss Kewin
- 1972 Bubbles'; Luck
- 1973 He's Some Boy
- 1974 Rellarena
- 1975 Rellarena
- 1976 Bolta's Gift
- 1977 Del Bairn Babe
- 1978 Mariner';s Joy
- 1979 Vanadium
- 1980 Collis Queen
- 1981 Earth Humour
- 1982 Lone Voice
- 1983 The Gallows
- 1984 Cee Mee Lass
- 1985 Innocent Man
- 1986 Club Stroller
- 1987 Stock Agent
- 1988 High Intensity
- 1989 High Intensity
- 1990 Magic Stroller
- 1991 Magic Stroller
- 1992 Judy Takair
- 1993 Saltwater Sid
- 1994 Kennel Master
- 1995 Accolade
- 1996 Favoured Spirit
- 1997 Tassie Park
- 1998 Tonight';s Wish
- 1999 Feel The Magic
- 2000 Kobble Creek
- 2001 Fairy Wings
- 2002 Jedi Lightsabre
- 2003 Oh Behave
- 2004 Arvo's Junior
- 2005 Last Quoted
- 2006 Mid City Mandy
- 2007 Miss Grub
- 2008 Gunnadoo Magic
- 2009 Gunnadoo Magic
- 2009 Forty Twenty