Magic Sprite Steals The Monday Night Spotlight
On a night when Richmond weren't even supposed to be racing in the night time slot, the Richmond greyhound card stole the show away from Wentworth Park with some very good greyhound racing and a super impressive win to a young greyhound called Magic Sprite.
Trained at Castleragh by 21 year old Courtney Dibella, the daughter of John and Jane Carruthers of Rapid Journey fame; the young black dog gave nothing else a chance leading all the way in a flying 30.32 for the 537m trip.
To full appreciate just how impressive the win was; the next quickest greyhound of the entire evening was more than eight lengths slower, running 30.90.
Beginning well enough from box three, the young son of Brett Lee ~ Glamorous, assumed control of the race early running 5.25, 15.23 to the second sectional and coming home in 15.09; just over 2 lengths off Sand Burner's track record.
Magic Sprite has now started just the three times for three wins with prior starts including heat and final wins in the respected $15,000 to the winner Josh Brown Memorial Maiden at The Gardens last month.
Bred by Victorian breeders Paul and Diane Bartolo, Magic Sprite's dam Glamorous is a daughter of Spiral Nikita and the Bartolo's pre-potent producer Leprechaun Yap, the mother of 2006 Australian Greyhound of the Year Betty's Angel and a host of other Group winners who died in late 2008 while in pup to overseas sire Digital.
During the Josh Brown Memorial series, Magic Sprite was easily the standout performer winning on debut from box two in a flying 29.58, which was four lengths quicker than the next fastest qualifiers. And then overcoming a tardy start and interference to win the final in a good 29.84 despite that run being just his third ever attempt over a journey of 500 metres.
To add further merit to the run of Magic Sprite last night, the race also comprised some other highly touted young greyhounds, who were left in his wake.
Billy Bobaggings was the focus of two very big offers to purchase after winning his third race start over 515m at Bulli when running within a few lengths of the prevailing track record, but showed last night his future might be limited as he progresses through the grades due to his tardy box manners. After beginning slowly from box one he was held up behind runners before moving to the outside to run in to second late, but was no match for the winner, finishing 8.25 lengths in arrears.
Sophisticated who went in to the race unbeaten after two fast wins at Lithgow, suffered early trouble and finished a distant last at just his thrid career race start.
But all honours were with Magic Sprite who is giving Courtney Dibella a dream start to her training career and much bigger and better races look firmly within the grasp of the young trainer and her 29kg black flying machine.