Vintage Octane’s 2008 Group 2 Sale Cup

Vintage Octane Winning Earlier This Year
Winning Earlier This Year
Outstanding Victorian sprinter come middle distance performer Vintage Octane proved too smart in the Gold 1242 Sale Cup on Boxing Day over the 650 metre trip.

Trained by the state's leading mentor Darren McDonald the fawn dog's preparation for the Cup win was spot on.

He had blitzed in two lead up runs before recording a best of the night heat win in 37.38. On final night
punters sent him to the start a very warm favourite at $1.70, but he let none of his supporters down
with a tradesman like performance to win the Cup impressively.

Vintage Octane has never been noted as a good beginner and throughout his short career it has no
doubt caused his trainer Darren McDonald some concern and has been costly in a number of his races.

However he picked the right night to begin and in the Cup he came out beautifully and went straight to
the front whistling through the sections in recording 6.22, 16.19, 25.22 and an overall of
37.34 the fastest of his four wins on the track.

Most punters thought Vintage Octane was home and hosed after he lead so early in the race but credit
must go to runner-up Burrawonga Brett ($12.20) who was gallant in defeat he chased the leader all the
way never allowing him to open up a big break and when the favourite went wide coming around the
home turn for a moment it appeared he might cause an upset. However Vintage Octane straighten up
again and raced to the line a conformable winner by one and a quarter lengths with three and a half
lengths back to Purple Range ($10.50) third.

Vintage Octane at only 26 months old has always shown enormous talent he burst onto the scene in
July with the fastest maiden win ever recorded at Sandown of 29.58. Since then he has put together a
number of wins. He was put over the 600 for the first time for a win at the Meadows in November and is
unbeaten over the longer journey with another win at Geelong and his four at Sale. It will be interesting
to see if Darren McDonald decides to step him up over 700 metres in the New Year.

After the placed runners the field finished in the following order 4th Ashes Platinum ($7.20), 5th Hall's On
Fire ($34.10), 6th Joop Muse ($5.80) 7th Run Like Ell ($41.80) and Uno Jacob ($16.70).

Vintage Octane is a fawn dog whelped October 2006 by Pure Octane from (Awesome Assassin x Ashlee Jeannine) he is raced by who raced his sire Pure Octane and media indentity . He is trained by master Victorian mentor Darren McDonald who also
trained his sire and he has raced 22 times for 13 wins and four placings, with the $30,000 first prize for the Sale Cup taking his current stake earnings to $57,220.

He is superbly bred, with his dam already producing fast sprinters Life of Brian and Winoki to plus and Mister Twink to Mountain Dry. Vintage Octane is a full brother to Octanol who earlier this year won the Group 2 WA Derby and finished fourth in the Group 2 .
The seemingly bold move in 2001 to run the Sale Cup over the 630m journey, with a first prize of $20,000, produced an outstanding result with brilliant front running stayer, Bentley Babe, etching her name on the Cup Honour role.

Again in 2003 a major track restructure unveiled a brand new circuit on April 10th extensive work had been carried out after it closed in January. Under the guidance of track designer Brian Barrington Sale had an extreme makeover, with the new distances becoming 440, 520 and 650 metres. The track was also widened to 7 metres, with both straights being realigned.

The Cup has been won by some great champions and listed below is the full honour roll as we currently know it.

    Sale Cup Honour Roll
  • 1968 Unknown
  • 1969 Unknown
  • 1970 Unknown
  • 1971 Stripper Sam
  • 1972 Midnight Avon
  • 1973 Rerod
  • 1974 Rebel Rena
  • 1975 Shikar
  • 1976 Dargaville
  • 1977 Daalko Boy
  • 1978 Cascilla's Lad
  • 1979 Newmore's Heart
  • 1980 Bushy Prince
  • 1981 Forceful Lad
  • 1982 Charcia
  • 1983 Colinda Flyer
  • 1984 Chariot Supreme
  • 1985 Johnny Caprice
  • 1986 Top Shroud
  • 1987 Quick Royal
  • 1988 Blackman Ray
  • 1989 Mr Chatters
  • 1990 Chief Magundi
  • 1991 Malawi's Prince
  • 1992 Premier Pete
  • 1993 Linebacker
  • 1994 Jamb Kid
  • 1995 Wylie Boy
  • 1996 Wylie Boy
  • 1997 Shannen's Storm
  • 1998 Awesome Assassin
  • 1999 Brookside Red
  • 2000 Vino Veritas
  • 2001 Bentley Babe
  • 2002 Beljay Velvet
  • 2003 Draino
  • 2004 Arvo's Junior
  • 2005 Hercules
  • 2006 Elektra
  • 2007 Miss Brook
  • 2008 Vintage Octane
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