Sibling rivalry this Thursday in Middle Distance Challenge

THERE will be some sibling rivalry at Albion Park this Thursday night when half-sisters Outside Pass (Head Bound x Tina's Show Aug '13) and Miss Minaj (Shakey Jakey x Tina's Show Mar '15) do battle in the $10,450 Middle Distance Challenge (600m).

Both greyhounds are trained by Tony Apap and were dominant winners of their heats, with Outside Pass stealing time honours with a scintillating 34.71 effort off box three.

It was her 28th career win at start 64 and took her career earnings above $220,000.

“She was screaming out for the 600 again and Thursday's win was very impressive,” Apap told Australian Racing Greyhound.

“She has gone 29.10 at Sandown and 29.60 at Albion Park so she is a brilliant sprinter, but now that she is getting older she seems to be settling down more and looking for a bit further at the end of her races.

“She can take a knock but you know she is still going to keep coming and that she will give it her all.”

Outside Pass has been a sensational racer for Apap and the That Will Do Me Syndicate. She won her first group race in November when claiming the Group 3 Ipswich Cup, but she has also finished placed in the 2016 Group 1 Winter, the Group 2 Shootout, the Group 3 Speed Star and the Group 1 Brisbane Cup.

All together she has made 11 group finals including the world's richest greyhound race, the Group 1 Melbourne Cup.

Apap says despite his bonny bitch getting on in age, he has no immediate plans to retire her.

“She is over four now but she is still going well. We don't over race her and she just loves it,” he said.

“People keep asking me when I am going to retire her, but she'll tell me when she's had enough and until then we'll keep racing her.

“She knows when it's race day and as soon as you change into your white shirt for the track she goes berserk – she spins around as if to say ‘come on dad, let's go'.

“She looks enormous; she feels enormous so there is no reason to retire her.”

Meanwhile, her little sister Miss Minaj also won well last Thursday, leading off box seven and stopping the clock in a handy 35.04. She has now won two of her past three starts and 10 from 43 overall.

“It's taken her a while to take a liking for Albion Park, but she has had a few runs there now and I like the way she worked to the line last week,” Apap said.

“She isn't quite up to the standard of Outside Pass – there is about six lengths between them – but when she is drawn well she can definitely run.”

Although Apap concedes Outside Pass is a class above, he rates both of his greyhounds a chance in the final.

“It's going to be interesting. Obviously they'll both need luck but they are both in there and have a good chance.

“This race is a good lead up for both of them for the [Queensland Cup] in January which is what they will both be aimed at.”

It will be a handy race, with other talented types such as Cyndie's Magic (Magic Sprite x Regal Silver Mar '13), Cyn's Magic (Magic Sprite x Tuscany Sally Feb '15) and Gelantipy Gold (Milldean Panther x El Fooling Jul '14) also qualifying.

The Middle Distance Challenge will be run at Albion Park this Thursday night.