Taipan Bale Steals $12,500 Healesville Cup Off Perfect Draw

Anyone who read our Healesville Cup preview would’ve had a field day at the Healesville Cup heats last Saturday with 6 of the 8 heats running as we predicted.

Heat 1 went to Taipan Bale (Solve The Puzzle x Arivada Bale) who used box 1 to advantage to overhaul early leader Rupture (Brett Lee x Watusi Zephyr) in the fair time of 18.45 after a slow start. Heat 2 went to Top Fuel (Where’s Pedro x Brooklyn Haze) who led all the way from box 2, running 18.36.

The 3rd heat saw a runnner that really got under our guard in the preview, when Major Tsunami (Typhoon Tide x Major Break) came from behind to bolt away in a flying 18.27. Heat 4 saw the other of our unpredicted wins in the heats, when Archer’s Eleven (Spiral Nakita x Flaming Awesome) for Clarkefield trainer R. Henness sprung from box 7 and held on in a slow 18.72.

Heat 5, and our predictions were right back on track when Bounding Billy (No Intent x Reyanrd Lady), stormed over the top of early leader Hot Mikado (Hotline Hero x History Making) in a slow 18.55. Cool Temptation (Big Daddy Cool x Juma Country) took out heat 6 in the fastest heat time of 18.24 for likeable young trainer Scott Stefanos of Longqwood. Elite Saint (Elite State x Saintly Jewel) didn’t disappoint his supporters or owner Peter Byrne when he led all the way in 18.44 to take down the second last heat.

The final heat made it a Norm McCullagh training double when Sherlock Bob (Whisky Assassin x Many Tricks) showed good pace at box rise and held on to beat our bolter’s pick in the race, Super Joe Cool (Brett Lee x Foxmoor Flyer) in a handy 18.36.

The box draw was performed after the heats and the marbles were very kind to owner Paul Wheeler and trainer Graham Bate when Tapian Bale again saw red to secure box 1 in the final.