Breeders Classic Quickly Becoming A Reality

TWISTED Reality rubber-stamped his standing as one of the hottest young pups on the Apple Isle with an emphatic 25.71 Breeders Classic heat success at Hobart last Thursday night.

Overcoming another slow getaway from box six, the highly touted youngster stormed away with his qualifier late for trainer Blake Pursell, recording a blistering best of night 25.71 to defeat Notorious by 4 ¾ lengths.

His run home time of 14.56 from the 461-metre start was simply out of this world, not that it surprised Pursell, the Brighton conditioner fully aware of his star youngster's capabilities.

"He's an extremely fast dog; he's shown me that he's something special from the first time I put a clock on him," Pursell said in the lead up to Thursday night's blockbuster finale.

A September ‘17 son of Spring Gun and Champagne Girl, Twisted Reality was bred by Barry Heawood and Pursell's WA-based uncle uncle Brett, the duo racing the prodigious talent in partnership.

"The reports from breaking-in were very encouraging but he did take a few starts in races to run up to what he was doing in trials … he had a funny galloping action early on," Pursell explained.

"He was basically running me free for all times right from the start. To give you an idea before he was even named I slipped him and Be Like Bill from the same mark and Be Like Bill went 20.80, while Twisted Reality went 20.70. Be Like Bill's no slouch, he's won 20 races.

"The first time I took Twisted Reality to Launceston he went 29.85 over the 515m – the times he can run are outstanding, it's just taken him some time to mature and begin piecing it together in his races.

"I thought last week's heat win was the best of his career so far, another step forward."

Twisted Reality's sizzling heat victory sets up a tantalizing final this Thursday, the son of Spring Gun locking horns with the state's best juveniles, including four littermates from the hugely successful Fernando Bale x Keune litter, led by flying 25.82 heat winner Strada for Debbie Cannan.

Enjoying a terrific start to their racing careers, winning 34 of their 94 starts, Strada is joined by fellow heat winners Silver Man (25.98) and Connected (25.92) in Thursday's final, the litter quartet rounded out by Notorious, a gallant runner-up to a flying Twisted Reality in his qualifier.

"I'd say Strada is definitely the one to beat, she looks the leader from box eight so for my bloke to be a chance he's going to need clear running early and some luck in running," Pursell added.

"He's been slow from the boxes right from the start really. While he isn't the best of beginners he really explodes after a stride or two – he went 5.13 early in his heat last week which isn't bad at all … hopefully the pink gives him a good cart across if she leads Thursday."

Winner at five of his 11 starts, Pursell is plotting a Hobart Thousand course for his prodigious talent, the Group 1 feature at Hobart in December firmly on the radar for the two year old galloper.

"The St. Leger is on next week but I'll more than likely skip that and just take him along and work towards the Hobart Thousand," Pursell added.

"The plan will be to head to Victoria at some stage as well and trial him at Sandown and The Meadows so he's got experience at those tracks. He's very quiet and relaxed at home so hopefully the travelling isn't an issue with him either."

Pursell takes a two-pronged attack into Thursday night's decider, lining up relative newcomer Page's Creek from the inside alley.

"I'd rather him drawn a bit wider as he wants to get to the middle of the track," said Pursell.

"He's bred to get further and he's showing me he wants more trip even now … he was a good run in the heats and I'll be happy to see him getting home on Thursday."