Azzopardi Aiming For Sale Cup Knockout

THE white-hot Victorian kennel of Anthony Azzopardi will launch an assault on the Sale feature races on Cup Day on Boxing Day.

Anthony Azzopardi will look to continue his kennel's stunning form through Boxing Day where he will prepare a runner in each of the four feature finals on the Sale Cup card.

Azzopardi has prepared a remarkable 26 winners from his last 50 starters.

His most recent winner, Home Brew, won his heat of the Sale Cup last Sunday to make it six wins in seven starts since returning from injury.

"He's always been a really fast dog, always had the talent. But early doors he was clumsy and didn't know how to race," Azzopardi said.

"I gave him a crack over the distance but he struggled to get the full 650m, then I took him to Sandown and he did an achilles.

"I was sad and angry at the time, but (the layoff) was probably the best thing to happen.

"He has come back a different dog.

"He's more solid, he's filled out, he's settled down like a proper adult dog.

"The six months did him the world of good, he needed that time.

The hulking 37kg son of Superior Panama has taken a liking to the revamped Sale circuit, winning twice over 510m trip before stepping up to the Cup distance in his heat.

Importantly, Azzopardi said Home Brew has come through the heat in good order and has no concerns about drawing box 4 in the $100,000-to-the-winner Group 1 final.

"He's pulled up good as gold," Azzopardi said.

"He went well up the straight on Wednesday and will have a hit out at Bendigo and he'll be good to go.

"The draw is ok, I don't mind him there.

"He'll just bustle up, he knows what to do there."

As good as Home Brew's recent form has been, kennelmate Salad Dodger has been going better and will enter the Summer Cup (510m) aiming for his 11th consecutive victory.

"He's just a marvellous dog, what can I say about him," Azzopardi said.

"He just puts a little bit of spark in you every time he goes to the races because you know he's going to give you 110 per cent.

"He just does everything right, he doesn't know how to do anything wrong.

"He's such a good race dog – don't get me wrong, he's no champion – but he's a wonderful dog."

Approaching three-and-a-half years of age, Salad Dodger has amassed more than $161,000 in prizemoney without winning a Group race, a fact Azzopardi is hoping to address in 2024.

"I just hope this time around we can pick up a country cup with him," he said.

"If he can do that it'd be a fairytale for me, I just truly reckon he deserves it.

"All going well he'll go to Warragul after this, then Traralgon."

Azzopardi also gave both of his other two finalists, Mr. Gleason in the Vicgreys Sprint (435m) and Hovland in the Restricted Win Final, good chances in their respective races.

However, he did suggest that Hovland was one to follow regardless of what he did on Tuesday evening.

"If he can put it together he could be a really nice dog," he said

"He's just doing stupid things at the moment, as young dogs do.

"He races a little erratic, but if he puts it together he could really, really go.

"I reckon one day he'll just come out and run what he can trial, and it'll blow your mind a little bit.

"I think we'll see his best when he gets over 500m, and that's what we're going to try after this."

The Sale Cup will be run on Boxing Day.