Unleash Collinda breaks Country Cup jinx in Traralgon triumph
Unleash Collinda, the reigning king of country cups, finally ended his streak of being a runner-up by clinching the $83,000 Group 2 Sportsbet Traralgon Cup (450m) with an exhilarating display of speed and determination.
Trained by Jason Thompson, who is renowned for his expertise in country cup races, Unleash Collinda, the +180 ” title=”top online bookmakers” >bookmaker favourite, overcame the challenge of starting from box eight to secure a 1.1L victory over the gallant Tasmanian greyhound Ducati Roy (+890).
Thompson's other contender, Got Attitude (+360), finished another 1L behind with a time of 24.71 seconds. This triumph marks Thompson's win in the Traralgon Cup within three years, following his success with Typhoon Sammy in 2022.
It also adds to his series of victories in country cup events, including his win at the G2 Warragul Cup with Tim Zoo earlier this year.
Unleash Collinda, hailing from the bloodline combination of Beast Unleashed and Audacious Bell, notched up a record of 42 wins out of 71 starts, with 14 second-place finishes and five third-place finishes.
The first prize cash reward of $55,000 has boosted his career earnings to $335,526.
Tyler praised the versatility of Unleash Collinda, emphasising his ability to win from both the front and the back.
She also mentioned plans for him, including participation in the VicBred Pink Diamond Veterans race in June and a promising career as a stud. Unleash Collinda's victory at Traralgon was significant, as it marked his third win out of five races on that track and distance.
It was also his seventh win out of 11 races, starting from Box 8.
His winning time of 24.71 seconds was half a length short of his best time of 24.68 seconds achieved during the Traralgon Cup qualifiers.
This triumph meant that Unleash Collinda finally overcame his disappointments in country cup events, where he had previously finished second on three occasions, including in the G2 Shepparton Cup, G2 Ballarat Cup, and G2 Healesville Cup.
2024 Traralgon Cup Final Race Replay – Unleash Collinda (24.71)
It was a night of celebration for Thompson, as he also managed to win with Umberto (-111.11 – 21.83sec) in a 395m race during the Traralgon Cup program.