Don’t be surprised if there is a dead heat in a race at Albion Park tonight. It could even be in race one. After all, Steve Hawkins is calling the meeting !

Hawkins called the Gold Coast harness programme last Friday night. Race one resulted in a dead heat between Baydy Heart and Caesar Supreme. Then in race seven, the judge couldn’t split Neyboss and Chasing the Chips.

Dead heats are a rarity nowadays with the Finishlynx photo finish system able to find a margin much smaller than in days gone by when the judge used a sometimes blurred black and white print and a hand held magnifying glass. So to have two dead heats on the one card, well, the odds are very long !

Hawkins backed up on Saturday to call his regular venue, the Gold Coast gallops. Race one resulted in a dead heat between Havasnip and Feeling Naughty.

‘’It all made for exciting racing although it’s excitement you feel, as a racecaller, you could perhaps do without,’’ Hawkins (pictured at Ipswich with club treasurer Judy Griffiths) said.

‘’I had yesterday off and went to see Wynnum Manly win the rugby league preliminary final against Tweed Heads. No dead heat there. Plenty of people at the game were commenting on those dead heats.’’

The Brisbane G.R.C. will be hoping there isn’t a dead heat for second in the main race at Albion Park tonight. It’s the Sister Cities Cup qualifying race, from which the first and second placegetters will go to Adelaide for the grand final against four greyhounds from there and two from New Zealand.

Trainer Ron Ball has half the field with his runners Bellagio Lad, Tough As, Cakes and Pies and Ozo Good. Ryan Ayre is also keen on being in the Sister Cities final, and has three runners. They are Bogie King, Bogie High and Kenso Karoo. Selena Zammit is starting Sobbing Destiny to complete the field of eight.

The $40,000 Sister Cities Cup final will be run at Angle Park on Thursday week, September 27. The Adelaide heats will be run this Thursday night.

At Albion Park yesterday, there were six heats of the A-Team Lightning over 331 metres.

Winners were Charmed Speed for Col Byers in 18.96, Senor Zorro for Brendon Stevens in 19.07, Di Buxton’s Got a Moment in 18.86, Clappin’ Nova for Mick Pearce in 19.10, Riverside Lad for Gary Clarke in 19.07 and Uncle Duk for Joanne Martin in 19.17.

 The Lightning is the only series all year at Albion Park over 331 metres that caters for higher than maiden and novice performers. The $8,000 final will be run this Thursday night.

The fastest second placegetters and the two reserves will be declared this afternoon.

 

Story by Paul Dolan.