Hope’s Zone leads Elson 1-2-3 finish in Short Course Final
Hope’s Zone delivered a stunning performance in the Queensland Short Course Final (331m) at Albion Park on Thursday night, beating his PB and leading home a Travis Elson-trained trifecta.
The 23-month-old blue bitch clocked a blistering 18.66 seconds, eclipsing her previous best of 18.73 and securing her 27th career victory from just 42 starts.
Jumping brilliantly from box five as the $2.45 bookmaker favourite, Hope’s Zone surged to the lead early, holding off kennelmate Scrub’s Rocket in the run to the post.
Super Scrub completed the trifecta for Elson in third, highlighting a remarkable feat for the trainer.
Albion Short Course Replay – Hope’s Zone (18.66)
Elson, visibly thrilled post-race, praised Hope’s Zone’s flawless early speed, which has been the hallmark of her success.
“She’s a faultless beginner, and once she got clear, there was a little bit of trouble behind, and that’s all you need in these races—get in front and she can run the time,” Elson said.
“We were lucky enough to trifecta it, which I’m pretty stoked about.”
The Fernando Bale x Nan’s Magic speedster has now won this race for the second time, solidifying her place among Queensland’s elite short-course chasers.
“She’d have to be the best box dog I’ve ever had,” Elson admitted.
“Everyone talks about having a really fast sprinter, but I put her over 395m a couple of weeks ago, and she ran home in about 12.10, so I still think she can go a bit further.”
Early pace is a key component in Elson’s training philosophy, something he credits for his kennel’s consistent success over short-course and 500m distances.
“My line’s not the strongest over 500m, but they get out, they’ve got a good turn of foot to the first mark, and 9 out of 10 times, that gets you out of trouble,” he said.
With another feature race trophy secured, Hope’s Zone continues to cement her legacy as one of Albion Park’s premier short-course sprinters, with future plans yet to be decided.
“We’ve targeted this race every year for a few years and have been lucky enough to pinch it once before. To win it again is awesome—and to trifecta it, even better,” Elson said.
Short Course final 2025 Results
2025 Short Course Final ResultsAlbion Park 331m OPEN $12,025 to-the-winner Thursday, January 30, 2025
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| 1st |
5 Hope’s Zone
T: Travis ElsonTime: 18.66Margin:
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| 2nd |
8 Scrub’s Rocket
T: Travis ElsonTime: 18.72Margin: 0.75 Lengths
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| 3rd |
1 Super Scrub
T: Travis ElsonTime: 18.92Margin: 3.75 Lengths
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| 4th |
2 Gundy Sure Can
T: Sandra HuntTime: 19.08Margin: 6.00 Lengths
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| 5th |
7 Swift Bill
T: Cyndie ElsonTime: 19.22Margin: 8.00 Lengths
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6th |
4 Julane Ava
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| 7th |
6 Lenny’s Honey
T: Jemma DaleyTime: 19.36Margin: 10.00 Lengths
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| 8th |
3 Unique
T: Rusty DillonTime: 19.52Margin: 12.25 Lengths
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