GOLD COAST CUP
The Reg Kay trained Don’t Knocka Him seems to have next Thursday’s group 3 Gold Coast Cup final at his mercy.
Two heats were run at Albion Park last night. Don’t Knocka Him led all the way from box three to clock a sensational 29.62 seconds in winning by five and a half lengths over Ozo Good and Lacoste. The sectional times were 5.69, 11.43 and a run home of 12.50.
Tony Brett’s Glen Gallon won his heat, also leading most of the way from box three. He carved out sectionals of 5.74, 11.65 and 12.54 for an overall run of 29.93. Ron Ball’s pair Cakes and Pies and Bellagio Lad finished second and third to give Ball three runners in next Thursday’s $25,000 to the winner final.
Reg Kay had predicted that Don’t Knocka Him was a chance of breaking the track record last night. That’s held by Made to Size at 29.58, a top flight sprinter trained by Kay. The record was set in December, 2008 during that year’s Brisbane Cup series.
When the semaphore board showed an interim time of 29.4, it appeared that Don’t Knocka Him had not only broken but shattered Made to Size’s record. But the time was then corrected to 29.62. Chairman of stewards Gail Thorsby confirmed that the timer had clocked the lure rather than Don’t Knocka Him at 29.4.
The box draw for next Thursday’s Gold Coast Cup final is: 1 Bellagio Lad (Ron Ball), 2 Don’t Knocka Him (Reg Kay), 3 Cakes and Pies (Ron Ball), 4 Lacoste (Christina Apap), 5 Velocity High (Bob Giltinan), 6 Ozo Good (Ron Ball), 7 Ifs and Butts (Paul Cauchi), 8 Glen Gallon (Tony Brett), Res: 9 Degas Vegas (Ron Ball), 10 Pacific Prince (Tom Tzouvelis).
Also on next Thursday’s Albion Park card will be the $10,000 to the winner Eric Thomson Memorial Maiden final, a former Gold Coast feature. Seven heats were run last Wednesday and the box draw with be done at RQL’s office this Monday.
CAUCHI’S MIXED NIGHT
To say that Gold Coast trainer Paul Cauchi had a mixed night at Albion Park would be an understatement.
His first runner of the night, Wave To Elle, fell at the first turn and suffered a broken hock.
‘’It was a bad break, but we have managed to save her for breeding purposes,’’ AGRA Hall of fame trainer Cauchi said of the 14 times winning daughter of Hallucinate and Wave to Emma.
Wave to Elle was transported by Brisbane club CEO Luke Gatehouse to the West Chermside Veterinary Clinic for emergency treatment.
Cauchi’s second runner for the night was Master Brutus in race five. Arguably Queensland’s best stayer at the moment, Master Brutus (pictured) scored a strong win over Tarlie’s Angel and Tango Tapper, running a smart 41.92 seconds for the 710 metres journey.
Cauchi had recent Ipswich and Albion Park winner Alex the Great drawn box eight in heat one of the Gold Coast Cup. But the dog never got across from his wide draw, finishing seventh to Glen Gallon.
In heat two of the Gold Coast Cup, Cauchi’s Ifs and Butts finished fourth to Don’t Knocka Him, a run which takes the cleverly named son of Solve the Puzzle into next Thursday’s final.
ADELAIDE CUP
There's been a tragic aftermath to last night's group 1 Adelaide Cup heats.
The vehicle transporting the entire Andrea Dailly team crashed near the north western Victorian town of Nhill in the early hours of this morning. The Dailly kennel won three heats of the Cup and one of them, Big Black Mac, is confirmed dead.
George Dailly and kennel helper Carl were involved in the accident and both are in Horsham Hospital. George's twin brother Tom has travelled to Horsham to visit the injured pair and to assess losses to their greyhound team.
Big Black Mac is obviously scratched from the Cup final, with a cloud over the condition of the other Dailly qualifiers Heston Bale and Spud Regis.
Queensland owned and trained Bogie King finished sixth in his heat of the Adelaide Cup last night. He was slowly away and checked to the outside at the first turn.
There were eight heats, with winners only progressing to next Thursday’s $75,000 to the winner final.
Victorians won six heats with two locals also successful.
The Jason Thompson trained Proven Nitro was the fastest winner at 29.36 seconds.
The box draw for next Thursday’s final, along with winning times from last night, is: 1 Heston Bale (Andrea Dailly, Vic., 29.95), 2 Andrew’s Courage (Dean Decree, SA, 30.06), 3 Coal King (Jason Thompson, Vic., 29.71), 4 Prank Call (Paul Barry, SA, 30.07), 5 Spud Regis (Andrea Dailly, Vic., 29.85), 6 Big Black Mac (Andrea Dailly, Vic., 29.66, SCRATCHED), 7 Proven Nitro (Jason Thompson, Vic., 29.36), 8 Wattle Bee (Angela Langton, Vic., 29.92), Reserves; 9 Quo Vadis (Angela Langton, Vic.), 10 Godsend (Jason Thompson, Vic.).
Story by Paul Dolan, photo by Corey Pearce.
