Salad Dodger qualifies quickest for Group 2 Ballarat Cup final
Last night's (Friday) Group 2 Ballarat Cup heats were dominated by Salad Dodger, who crossed the finish line with the quickest heats time of 24.92 seconds in the last of the five cup heats.
Salad Dodger, who is trained by Anthony Azzopardi, ended the unbeaten run of Lektra Heckler, who had previously prevailed over him in the Group 2 Shepparton Cup Final last week.
Salad Dodger's country cups form is proving to be ultra consistent having been the fastest cups heat qualifier in Shepparton Cup series on his way to finishing fourth in the final.
Prior to the Shepparton Cup series, the Aiden Lee-owned greyhound had been beaten in track record time by She's A Pearl in the 2023 Group 3 Temora Cup final.
Salad Dodger will be searching for his first Group success in the $47,000-to-the-winner Group 2 Ballarat Cup final having previously been twice placed in Group 3 finals and was runner up to Typhoon Sammy in the 2022 Bendigo Cup.
Salad Dodger, by Whiskey Riot out of Winsome Sandy; has now won 17 of 43 starts with a further 16 placings earning $126,990 in career prizemoney.
In next Friday's final of the Ballarat Cup Salad Dodger will have to contend with exiting from box six in the Good Friday race.
Trainer Anthony Azzopardi will be searching for his second Ballarat Cup, having won the 2016 final with Zambora Brockie.
Shepparton Cup winner Lektra Heckler was searching for his ninth consecutive win but wasn't able to assume his customary lead role from box four when Salad Dodger kicked up along the rail in the run to the first corner with the aid of box one.
2023 Group 2 Ballarat Cup Heat 5 – Salad Dodger (24.92) T: Anthony Azzopardi
Four of the five cup heat winners got started from the red number one alley, including the Daniel Gibbons-trained pair of Kelsey Bale and her litter sister Quinlan Bale.
Kelsey Bale, by Feral Franky out of Eltha Allen; narrowly qualified the quicker of the two winning in 25.03, while Quinlan Bale crossed the line in 25.06.
Kelsey Bale is a multiple group race winner and placegetter and will be searching for her second Group 2 win since winning the 2022 Group 2 Laurels Classic at Sandown.
Quinlan Bale will be searching for her first group greyhound racing win having previously been placed in the 2022 Group 2 Bendigo Cup behind Typhoon Sammy, and the 2022 Group 2 Healesville Cup behind Sacred Stance.
Kelsey Bale will move to box seven for the final, while Quinlan Bale will start from box three.
There is a chance that trainer Daniel Gibbons has a big weekend ahead of him, as he will also start three greyhounds in the Group 3 Mount Gambier Cup on Sunday.
2023 Group 2 Ballarat Cup Heat 2 – Kelsey Bale (25.03) T: Daniel Gibbons
2023 Group 2 Ballarat Cup Heat 3 – Quinlan Bale (25.06) T: Daniel Gibbons
Bobby Axelrod won the opening heat of the Ballarat Cup from box one running 25.21 for popular trainer Jess Hopkins.
Bobby Axelrod, by My Redeemer out of Izza Lektra; secured his 20th win from 36 total starts, and has run seven further placings.
In the final, Bobby Axelrod will get the aid of starting from box two and will be searching for his first group race win.
2023 Group 2 Ballarat Cup Heat 1 – Bobby Axelrod (25.21) T: Jess Hopkins
Shima Shadow was the one cup heat winner without the advantage of box one when he ran down the Jason Thompson-trained Unleash Collinda late to win heat four of the cup in 25.08.
The talented youngster, by Bernardo out of Shima Song; has been to the track for just five race starts, winning four of them with all races at Ballarat.
Exceptionally the Tom Dailly-trained dog will be lining up to win a Group 2 final at just his sixth career start.
Dailly also qualified litter brother Shima Dream for the cup final when he was beaten less than a length by Quinlan Bale in cup heat three.
Shima Dream has had just the eight starts for five wins and two placings.
Tom Dailly last won the won the Ballarat Cup over 20 years ago with Knockabout Wok in 2002.
2023 Group 2 Ballarat Cup Heat 4 – Shima Shadow (25.08) T: Tom Dailly
The Ballarat Cup final will be run on Good Friday and the box draw for the final was conducted after the last of the five heats.
Ballarat Cup Final
2023 Ballarat Final Box Draw & FieldBallarat45mGroup 2$47,000 to-the-winnerFriday April 7 2023
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1 Flying Pie
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2 Bobby Axelrod
T: Jess HopkinsF: 1411Career: 36: 20-4-3Prizemoney: $53,920
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3 Quinlan Bale
T: Daniel GibbonsF: 1511Career: 54: 23-11-6Prizemoney: $159,829
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4 Unleash Collinda
T: Jason ThompsonF: 1222Career: 34: 21-6-1Prizemoney: $119,670
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5 Shima Shadow
T: Tom DaillyF: 1111Career: 5: 4-0-0Prizemoney: $12,580
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6 Salad Dodger
T: Anthony AzzopardiF: 2141Career: 43: 17-9-7Prizemoney: $126,990
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7 Kelsey Bale
T: Daniel GibbonsF: 2241Career: 58: 18-16-7Prizemoney: $242,140
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8 Shima Dream
T: Tom DaillyF: 1132Career: 8: 5-1-1Prizemoney: $15,145
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9 Rejuvenate
T: Paul BrownF: 1112Career: 20: 16-3-0Prizemoney: $97,600
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10 Westar Commander
T: Jeff BrittonF: 5142Career: 17: 6-5-1Prizemoney: $43,375
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