National Distance Championship Detailed Form

The 2009 Group 1 Championship is just a day away now, with the big final to be run and won tomorrow night. The long awaited race will see the winner walk away with $50,000 first prizemoney, with some interesting trials Victorian Vinatge Octane will be sent out favourite to win.

The sensation of the week was South Australian representative Tafari Bale pulling up in a solo trial over the tomorrow night's distance, that surely spells the end of any remote hopes he may have had.

Upset New South Wales representative Smashing Amy needs to find about eight lengths on her first trial at Cannington in 42.46, on a night when West Australian hope Red Shilling ran 42.00 dead winning; but does have box one and her best chances are if she can lead as she did in her state final.

Victorian who has raced successfully in WA previously now looks Red Shilling's main danger, although Fallen Zorro has been rumoured to be back close to best form but it is difficult to line up her form after beating a bunch of pedestrians in her home state Tasmanian final.

Queenslander Seminole will start the sentimental hope but at start 140 will find it hard to match it with some of these early. She will be coming home as good as anything in the race and is capable of an upset if there is any trouble ahead of her with most of the main hopes wanting to try and race on the pace.

2009 Group 1 National Distance Championship Detailed Form

Smashing Amy (NSW)

  • Breeding : Collide ~ Amy Grace
  • Whelped : April 2006
  • Sex : Bitch
  • Colour : Blue
  • Owner/s :
  • Trainer : Majella Ferguson
  • Race Record : 45 Starts – 15 wins – 9 seconds – 3 thirds
  • Prizemoney : $42,265
  • Cannington 715m Record : 0 Starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
  • Best Time : 42.46 (solo trial)
  • Last Time : 42.46 (solo trial)
  • Best First Sectional Time : 15.97 (solo trial)
  • Last First Sectional Time : 15.97 (solo trial)
  • Box 1 Record : 1 Starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Comment : Upset New South Wales final winner who needs to lead all the way for her best chance to take this out. Will have to improve on first up trial but first sectional was good and could lead the field from this box draw. Will upset the main favourites if able to lead, but would need trouble behind her to find the line first.

Seminole (QLD)

  • Breeding : Cool ~ Call Collect
  • Whelped : May 2005
  • Sex : Bitch
  • Colour : Black
  • Owner/s : Mick Thrupp
  • Trainer : Kay Thrupp
  • Race Record : 139 Starts – 18 wins – 15 seconds – 22 thirds
  • Prizemoney : $75,188
  • Cannington 715m Record : 0 Starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
  • Best Time : FSH
  • Last Time : FSH
  • Best First Sectional Time : FSH
  • Last First Sectional Time : FSH
  • Box 2 Record : 15 Starts – 4 wins – 3 seconds – 2 thirds

Comment : Sentimental Queensland state final winner who lacks nothing in the stamina department. Will be running on when many of these will be tiring but will struggle to go with some of these runners early. Is drawn to get a beautiful trail but will need to stay and the leaders back to win this. If she gets shuffled further back than that she'll struggle to sprint quick enough of the home corner to catch them. Will be the one coming over them if the others find trouble or bunch up.

Jarvis Bale (VIC)

  • Breeding : Sonic Flight ~ Rosemary Bale
  • Whelped : November 2006
  • Sex : Dog
  • Colour : Black
  • Owner/s :
  • Trainer :
  • Race Record : 47 Starts – 9 wins – 15 seconds – 13 thirds
  • Prizemoney : $78,295
  • Cannington 715m Record : 0 Starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
  • Best Time : FSH
  • Last Time : FSH
  • Best First Sectional Time : FSH
  • Last First Sectional Time : FSH
  • Box 3 Record : 2 Starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Comment : Gains a start here by virtue of the AGRA rankings selection, of which he gathered all his points in sprint races. Broke his staying duck in the Vic state heats with a 42.35 Sandown effort and ran virtually the same time in the state final finishing second. Is genuine enough but won't be leading this on form and isn't strong enough to finish over the top of them. Place chance only.

Fallen Zorro (TAS)

  • Breeding : Lilli Pilli Lad ~
  • Whelped : December 2005
  • Sex : Bitch
  • Colour : Blue Fawn
  • Owner/s :
  • Trainer : Shane Whitney
  • Race Record : 51 Starts – 20 wins – 11 seconds – 9 thirds
  • Prizemoney : $228,625
  • Cannington 715m Record : 5 Starts – 3 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
  • Best Time : 41.70
  • Last Time : 42.09
  • Best First Sectional Time : 15.53
  • Last First Sectional Time : 15.78
  • Box 4 Record : 7 Starts – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 1 thirds

Comment : Third placed in this race last year and on best form would win this, but has been out of form all year up until beating a field of walkers in the Tassie heats and final. On times she still looked below her best and is another who will be looking to lead early. Does like this track though, but isn't gettign any younger and not sure she's back to her best.

Tafari Bale (SA)

  • Breeding : Pure Octane ~ Fiona Bale
  • Whelped : March 2007
  • Sex : Dog
  • Colour :
  • Owner/s : Paul Wheeler
  • Trainer : Lisa Rasmussen
  • Race Record : 32 Starts – 11 wins – 8 seconds – 6 thirds
  • Prizemoney : $17,265
  • Cannington 715m Record : 0 Starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds
  • Best Time : Failed To Finish (solo trial)
  • Last Time : Failed To Finish (solo trial)
  • Best First Sectional Time : 16.51
  • Last First Sectional Time : 16.51
  • Box 5 Record : 2 Starts – 0 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Comment : SA representative who is nuisance value only in this field. Will try to get off the fence from this draw and may upset one or two of those on his outside, although will probably drop out early. Only race he is in is the race to avoid the stewards room.

Red Shilling (WA)

  • Breeding : Big Daddy Cool ~ Bent Penny
  • Whelped : November 2006
  • Sex : Bitch
  • Colour : Red Fawn
  • Owner/s : Marcus Tong
  • Trainer :
  • Race Record : 37 Starts – 18 wins – 3 seconds – 4 thirds
  • Prizemoney : $70,520
  • Cannington 715m Record : 9 Starts – 7 wins – 0 seconds – 1 thirds
  • Best Time : 41.54
  • Last Time : 42.00
  • Best First Sectional Time : 15.51
  • Last First Sectional Time : 15.62
  • Box 6 Record : 2 Starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Comment : Vastly improved local greyhound who has now won 8 in a row here at Cannington. Must be considered the favourite and should be able to lead those inside her. Best time of 41.54 is good enough to win this and less than 2 lengths off 's 41.42 track record. WA's best hope of a Distance Championship title since Paradise Street won for Linda Britton at this track back in 1998.

Black Range (WA)

  • Breeding : Pure Octane ~ Al Fresco
  • Whelped : July 2006
  • Sex : Dog
  • Colour : Red Fawn
  • Owner/s : Bethaney Henry
  • Trainer : Brad Keel
  • Race Record : 61 Starts – 10 wins – 12 seconds – 16 thirds
  • Prizemoney : $40,210
  • Cannington 715m Record : 15 Starts – 2 wins – 3 seconds – 4 thirds
  • Best Time : 42.04
  • Last Time : 42.49
  • Best First Sectional Time : 15.70
  • Last First Sectional Time : 16.08
  • Box 7 Record : 8 Starts – 0 wins – 1 seconds – 2 thirds

Comment : Gallant run to make this final but is neither quick enough nor classy enough to win this. Litter brother to Mantra Lad so is chock full of staying blood but simply not good enough.

Vintage Octane (VIC)

  • Breeding : Pure Octane ~
  • Whelped : October 2006
  • Sex : Dog
  • Colour : Fawn
  • Owner/s : Living The Dream Syndicate
  • Trainer : Darren McDonald
  • Race Record : 43 Starts – 22 wins – 9 seconds – 4 thirds
  • Prizemoney : $149,600
  • Cannington 715m Record : 3 Starts – 1 wins – 1 seconds – 1 thirds
  • Best Time : 41.79
  • Last Time : 42.14
  • Best First Sectional Time : 15.43
  • Last First Sectional Time : 15.60
  • Box 8 Record : 3 Starts – 2 wins – 1 seconds – 0 thirds

Comment : Got run down easily in his state heat and then found an amazing 6 lengths in one week to run home 4 lengths quicker than his heat and win the Victorian state final. Is the only possible danger to Red Shilling and is drawn well but did put in one of his more disappointing runs here earlier this year. Another who will be looking to lead but fancy he won't be able to cross Red Shilling and may not go on with it after that.

Disco Girl (WA)

  • Breeding : Most Awesome ~ Eureka Disco
  • Whelped : May 2006
  • Sex : Bitch
  • Colour : Red Brindle
  • Owner/s : Phil Evans
  • Trainer : Phil Evans
  • Race Record : 59 Starts – 12 wins – 11 seconds – 15 thirds
  • Prizemoney : $52,320
  • Cannington 715m Record : 24 Starts – 7 wins – 5 seconds – 6 thirds
  • Best Time : 41.46
  • Last Time : 42.66
  • Best First Sectional Time : 15.74
  • Last First Sectional Time : 16.38

Comment : Unlikely to gain a start.

Abbi Taylah (WA)

  • Breeding : History Lesson ~ Lady Kero
  • Whelped : June 2006
  • Sex : Bitch
  • Colour : Blue
  • Owner/s :
  • Trainer : Keith Harding
  • Race Record : 49 Starts – 13 wins – 9 seconds – 9 thirds
  • Prizemoney : $44,683
  • Cannington 715m Record : 7 Starts – 0 wins – 1 seconds – 1 thirds
  • Best Time : 41.93
  • Last Time : 42.82
  • Best First Sectional Time : 15.59
  • Last First Sectional Time : 16.14

Comment : Unlikely to gain a start.

National Distance Championship Tips

Michael White

  1. Red Shilling
  2. Seminole
  3. Smashing Amy

James Dunn

  1. Vintage Octane
  2. Red Shilling
  3. Jarvis Bale

Kevin Pitstock

  1. Red Shilling
  2. Vintage Octane
  3. Seminole
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments