Mark Sure Can makes it nine from nine at Rockhampton
Mark Sure Can continued his undefeated streak at the Rockhampton 407m trip, shrugging off a rise in grade to show his true class on Wednesday night.
The Christine Pollard-trained chaser went into the best eight contest as the $1.90 race favourite with greyhound betting sites.
Jumping from box two, Mark Sure Can was able to get out well to lead and dictate terms for the entire trip with the well-backed Inspired Reason ($2.40) chasing in second.
Mark Sure Can eventually beat home Inspired Reason by two lengths in 23.61, with Velocity Tamika ($21) in third.
Rockhampton 407m Best 8 Oct. 20, 2023 – Mark Sure Can 22.61
The move to the 407m trip at the central Queensland track has proven to be a masterstroke with Mark Sure Can now having won nine from nine starts at the track and trip.
Pollard told AustralianRacingGreyhound she was impressed with the performance.
“He’s certainly exceeded my expectations,” she said.
“It’s hard to believe he has now won nine in a row.”
From a 2021 litter of four out of Sure You Can and by Slick, Mark Sure Can is the most successful and is joined in the Pollard kennel by sister Joy Sure Can, who is yet to crack her maiden from eight starts.
Littermates in the unraced Ray Sure Can and Gundy Sure Can (12:2-3-1), are both trained out of the Atkinson’s Dam kennel of Sandra Hunt, where Mark Sure Can was prepared for three starts to begin his career.
All four are owned by Jason Phillips, with Mark Sure Can holding an impressive strike rate of 92% of landing on the podium with 10 wins and one placing from 12 career starts, with $30,940 in prize money banked for connections.