Young country cups hero Mr Audacious qualifies fastest for 2022 Group 2 Ballarat Cup

Mr Audacious and trainer Rachael Busittil. ( Cup Heat 2022) (Photo: Twitter)

Brilliant young greyhound Mr Audacious has again lit up the greyhound track under Victorian country cup heats conditions again going within one-length-and-a-half of the prevailing Ballarat track record wining his heat of the 2022 Ballarat Cup.

Mr Audacious comfortably qualified fastest for this year's cup final in 24.79, leading all the way with the advantage of box one carving out a first split of 6.45 on the way to a comfortable 2.41 length win over .

The current Ballarat 450m track record is credited to Silver Lake at 24.68 (February, 2021). It is the second time in as many country cup heat starts that Mr Audacious has monstered the current track record time standard.

In the 2022 heats, the son of Beast Unleashed and Audacious Bell was giving away age and experience to his competitors but made light of the challenge winning his fourth race from just five starts running a new Shepparton 450m track record in the process.

Kilmany trainer Rachael Busuttil sent the boom youngster to the boxes from box six for the Shepparton Cup as race favourite with online bookmakers, but he was the victim of his own race inexperience. The young dog attempted to take a rails run right at the entry to the first corner severely checking himself in to the running rail. The effort to pick himself up and finish fifth after the interference with his muzzle hanging around his neck was full of merit.

Coming it to last night's cup heats without having a race for the 13 days since the Cup final, Mr Audacious was away from the boxes quick enough to show his customary early drive and the race was over before the first corner. The 34kg black dog, who has now won five races from seven starts and just short of $25,000; will turn just two-years-of-age two days prior to the $50,000 to-the-winner Ballarat Cup final.

Extraordinarily, outside the Shepparton and Ballarat country cups series'; all the young greyhounds career starts have been restricted to the 395m journey in low grade company.

2022 Ballarat Cup Heat (Mr Audacious – 24.79)

In a case of deja-vu for talented ex-NSW and 2022 Warragul cup winner greyhound Robbie Rotten, the Kayla Cottrell-trained greyhound had to again be content to make next weeks 2 final by finishing behind Mr Audacious as one of the quicker second placed greyhounds. As was the case in the series prior Robbie Rotten qualifies second fastest for the final running 24.96 without winning his heat.

It was deja-vu again for who was the 2021 Shepparton Cup winner and is the reigning Ballarat Cup champion. As was the story with the Shepparton Cup heats, Ferdinand Boy was the quickest winning qualifier winning the opening Ballarat Cup heat in 25.04. That mark remained the quickest qualifying time until Mr Audacious unleashed on the Ballarat circuit.

2022 Ballarat Cup Heat (Ferdinand Boy – 25.04)

Group 3 Provincial Plate winner Hennessey for trainer Ashlee Terry prevailed in a close finish over Unathi Bale in 25.23.

2022 Ballarat Cup Heat (Hennessey – 25.23)

Group 1 Silver Chief second placegetter and 2022 Shepparton Cup finalist Compliance won his heat for trainer Karen Pitt in 25.11. Typhoon Sammy, the -166.67 betting favourite with greyhound betting sites; missed the start and was checked out of any winning hopes on the corner.

2022 Ballarat Cup Heat (Compliance – 25.11)

Recent Shepparton Cup winner Substantial had to put up a herculean effort to beat Yozo Bale who was attempting to lead all the way in his heat. The -trained greyhound got absolutely no galloping room the whole way down the back straight, but still found the will to win coming off the leaders heels to reel in Yozo Bale in the shadows of the post.

Given the interference, the winning time of 25.13 gives no real indication of what Substantial would be capable of in next weeks race; and the dog must loom as Mr Audacious' biggest threat having drawn immediately outside him in the final. Azzopardi will be chasing his second Ballarat Cup after winning in 2016 with Zambora Brockie.

2022 Ballarat Cup Heat (Substantial – 25.13)

The final heat went the way of the Jeff Britton trained who was the beneficiary of interference to the leaders allowing him to win his heat in 25.47. The multiple Group 1 finalist and 2021 Group 1 Adelaide Cup winner was a conservative five lengths in arrears of Shima Pearl and Aston Merit when the two leaders came together allowing Do It to grasp the race win.

2022 Ballarat Cup Heat (Do It – 25.47)

2022 Ballarat Cup (450m – $50,000 to-the-winner)

  • 1. Hennessey – Ashlee Terry
  • 2. Yozo Bale –
  • 3. Robbie Rotten – Kayla Cottrell
  • 4. Mr Audacious – Rachael Busuttil
  • 5. Substantial – Anthony Azzopardi
  • 6. Compliance- Karen Pitt
  • 7. Ferdinand Boy – David Geall
  • 8. Do It – Jeff Britton
  • Reserves

  • 9. Perfect Colour – Jane Reynolds
  • 10. Unathi Bale – Correy Grenfell
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