Corrigan Chasing History In Grafton Opener

ZAMBORA Dixie gets her chance to give club president John Corrigan a historic moment when she runs in Monday night's opening race at Grafton.

FIRST-STARTER Zambora Dixie gets her chance to give club president John Corrigan a historic moment when she runs in Monday night's opening race on the new-look Grafton track.

Zambora Dixie (Zambora Brockie-Dixie Trick) has drawn box seven in the 350 metre maiden and Corrigan, well aware of the opportunity that's arisen, says the bitch “has a chance”.

“She's not the best of the litter and if nothing else can run about 20.60, then she can win,” he said.

FIELDS AND FORM GRAFTON MONDAY

Premier training partnership, husband and wife team John and Glenda Dart, are looking at a winning night for Grafton's re-opening.

John Dart is huge in praise of the new Grafton complex.

“It's the best racetrack I've ever seen,” he said.

“Everything they have done is state of the art – full credit to GRNSW and Grafton for their hard work.”

The Dart kennel has five runners Monday night and John rates all of them “good chances”.

The standout is Typhoon Sammy in the last race, a 350m free for all, in which he has drawn the rails.

“He looks a good thing going on the fact he has trialled 19.96, the fastest of any of the more than 300 trials run on the track so far,” John said.

“So far, a normal time over the 350 metres is around 20.30, with the normal over 450 metres being about 25.70 and 25.80.”

Dart had a warning for trainers in regards to the 450m start.

“It is a very tough run,” he said. “I would suggest it is best suited to dogs who get a strong 500 metres.

“The early sections for most trials have been quick, but the run home times for many of those over 450 metres have found many of them out.”

Dart said he had trialled three dogs over 450m at Grafton, all of them 30-second winners at Albion Park, and they all ran around 25.70.

“When the track surface settles down over the next few months, I expect dogs will run faster,” he said.

Corrigan said the fastest trial over 450m is the 25.50 run by Horace from the Frank Hancock kennel.

Horace has drawn box two in a 1-3 win series, race five on Monday night.

 

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