Peter Yap collects top honours in 2016 Ready To Race Championship
PETER Yap (Vee Man Vane x Minnie's Fool Jun '15) continued his consistent run of recent form at Sandown Park on Thursday night to take out the lucrative Ready To Race Championship over 515m.
The race was open to the top eight prize money earners which were sold in the 2016 Ready To Race Auction and Peter Yap had caught the punters' eye early, being sent to the boxes as the $4 favourite from the cherry.
When the lids flew open the Ray Henness-trained greyhound was fairly away and quickly mustered momentum, pushing up along the fence to take the lead around the first turn.
Even after finding the front, the white and black dog still had to work hard to claim the victory, gripping on to defeat the fast finishing Handpass (Fabregas x Katie Racoon May '15) by just over half a length in 29.83.
“He had been going well leading up to the race, so I was quietly confident that he would go alright,” Henness told Australian Racing Greyhound.
The 33-kilogram chaser, which finished second in the Listed Northern Districts Cup at Shepparton on November 4, has now won five races with 19 placings from 30 starts – his earnings sitting just under $30,000.
Henness said whilst Peter Yap never showed anything sensational in his trials at the Ready To Race Auction, he saw enough potential in him to put in a bid.
“I was at the auction looking a cheap, bargain dog which looked like it had a bit of upside.
“This bloke never won any of his heats or finals throughout the auction, but he was very green and he was running up the [back] of the other dogs.
“It looked like there was a lot of improvement in him and he has turned out a handy dog.”
Henness said he is from a breeding line which needs time to show its best, another reason why he was convinced Peter Yap was the dog to buy.
“He is from the same dam line as Dee Winter, which won a group race for me, so I knew that they tend to improve with a bit of age and maturity.
“Even now I think he is still learning and he looks like he has improved even at his last couple of starts – if he can find another couple of lengths he is going to be a nice dog to travel around with.”
Henness, who has 25 greyhounds in work, also commended the series, with the $12,000 winner's cheque a handy pick-up.
“It's a tough industry – you have got to have good dogs so something like this is a great series.
“It gives the owners and trainers like myself a bit of an incentive to keep going, even with a dog which isn't a superstar.
“His owner actually rang me after the race and has already asked me to go to the auction again this year and buy another dog.”
The 2017 Ready to Race Auction series will be held at Bendigo on Saturday November 18.