Troy Iwanyk’s Littermates The Two To Beat In Group 2 Sandown Feature
Devon Meadows trainer Troy Iwanyk's exciting littermates Bramley and Pillow Torque are the greyhounds to beat in next Thursday night's $36,000 Group 2 Henry Harrison Memorial (715m) after impressive runs in their respective heats at Sandown Park tonight.
Bramley was the fastest heat winner, leading all the way in his heat to stop the clock in 42.06 seconds. The son of Big Daddy Cool held off the late challenge of Sandown 595m track record holder Bobby Boucheau, who was having his first run since claiming the Group 2 Gold Cup at Wentworth Park on 19 March.
New South Wales raider Slick Lee continued his good Sandown Park form, winning the other heat in 42.15 seconds. It was Slick Lee's third win from seven starts at the Lightwood Road circuit and has been placed in each of his seven runs, and will now line up in his 12th Group race final (and third at Sandown Park).
Pillow Torque, having her first start over the ‘half-mile' since a lengthy lay-off following a procedure on his tonsils, led early before being passed down the back straight. However Pillow Torque, the current track record holder over the distance, found a second wind to close to within 1.25 lengths of Slick Lee at the line. Pillow Torque's chances of breaking her Group race maiden status improved after drawing the cherished box 1 for next Thursday night's final.
The Henry Harrison Memorial is the final feature race lead in to Australia's richest race for stayers, the $143,000 Group 1 Radio Sport National Sandown Cup, the heats of which will be run on Thursday 19 May and the final on Thursday 26 May.