Young Speedster Sets Sandown Park Alight
Heather Collins' exciting speedster Arsonist will start a warm favourite for next week's $36,000 Group 2 DDC Launching Pad after a scorching 29.76 heat win at Sandown Park tonight.
Having just her third start following two comprehensive wins at Warrnambool, Arsonist ($2.50F) was flawless from box one, leading all the way to win by a staggering 16 lengths in the fastest time of the night.
The rising star's chances of Group race glory improved sharply after drawing box 1 for the final.
Recent Group 1 Silver Chief winner Enry Walt ($1.70F) overcame a moderate start to win his heat in 29.91. Enry Walt found early trouble jumping from box 1 in last week's Group 1 Temlee invitational race at The Meadows, and made a similar start from the same box tonight. However he proved too classy for his inexperienced rivals, powering to the line 3.25 lengths clear of early leader Ercole Bale ($17.10).
Other heat winners included Scarlett Girl (30.25), Iceman Raikkonen (30.17), Wild Haley (30.23), Stepping Stone (30.11), Messi (30.04) and Arvo's Cougar (30.01).
The $25,000 to-the-winner final will be run at Sandown Park on Thursday 25 February.
The box draw for the Group 2 DDC Launching Pad final was conducted trackside following the event and Arsonist will start a short favourite after drawing box 1 in the final.
2010 Group 2 DDC launching Pad Final
- Box 1 – Arsonist – Heather Collins
- Box 2 – Enry Walt – Gary Ennis
- Box 3 – Iceman Raikkonen – Jeff Britton
- Box 4 – Scarlett Girl – Graeme Jose
- Box 5 – Messi – Peter Craig
- Box 6 – Arvo's Cougar – Tina Womann
- Box 7 – Stepping Stone – Maureen Stephens
- Box 8 – Wild Haley – Scott Holmes
- 1st Res – Ercole Bale – Graeme Bate
- 2nd Res – Napoleon Tiger – Tanya Auld
Reserves:
For further details and photos, please contact:
Michael Floyd, Racing and Media Manager, on 0409 426 562