Widely travelled Western Australian greyhound Miata trialled in sensational fashion at Hobart’s Elwick track last night.

            The Paul Stuart trained bitch is the representative for Western Australia in the Wrest Point Casino National Distance Championship grand final on Saturday, August 25 and seems certain to be the favourite.

            Miata (pictured winning at Albion Park in May this year) went solo over 599 metres and clocked 34.06 seconds, well inside the track record of 34.21 held by Pudzcanowski.

            ‘’She went really well, it was her first look at the Hobart track,’’ Stuart said.

            Replying to the question of how cold was the night, Stuart replied: ‘’Absolutely freezing.’’

            Queensland bitch Tarlie’s Angel cramped at the end of a 599 metres trial in Hobart last Tuesday when she ran 35.16 on a very cold night.

            ‘’Miata didn’t cramp, she pulled up perfectly,’’ Stuart said.

            In Western Australia, Miata has raced once at Mandurah which is a large track similar in dimensions to Hobart, although a little smaller.

‘’She broke and still holds the distance track record there,’’ Stuart said.

In Hobart last night, the Tasmanian finals of the Tattsbet National Sprint and Wrest Point National Distance Championships were run. Tasmania, being the host state, gets two runners in each grand final plus supplies the reserves.

The Ted Medhurst trained Rob Pines won the sprint final defeating New Recruit for Mick Stringer.

Medhurst also won the distance final with Bell Haven who led most of the way and defied the effort of the Butch Deverell trained Jethro by a length and a half.

Bell Haven started favourite behind Jethro so the pair are strong representatives for the home state.

The box draws for the National finals will be conducted in Hobart tonight. The fields are:

TATTSBET NATIONAL SPRINT, 461 metres: Glen Gallon (Qld.), Oaks Road (NSW), Exclusive One (NSW), Fabregas (Vic), Aston Thomas (SA), Uno Reltub (WA), Rob Pines (Tas), New Recruit (Tas). Reserves: Bergermeister (Tas), 10 Irinka Julia (Tas).

WREST POINT CASINO NATIONAL DISTANCE, 709 metres: Tarlie’s Angel (Qld), He Knows Uno (NSW), Karanji (Vic), Irma Bale (Vic), Abdon Bale (SA), Miata (WA), Bell haven (Tas), Jethro (Tas), Reserves: Beaudine (Tas), 10 Baretta Be (Tas.)

 

Story by Paul Dolan, photo by Corey Pearce.