Disco Set To Defend Silver Collar Crown

THE ageless Ring The Bell threw down the gauntlet to his younger rivals right from trap rise in Monday's first heat for the prestigious Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar over the demanding 779m journey.

The Group 1 National Distance Championship hero was never really seriously challenged afterwards, cruising to his effortless heat win. The Ray Adcock prepared current Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar title holder scored by a 3 ¾ lengths, clocking 47.47 on an absolute rain sodden track.
Ring The Bell now returns to defend the title he so easily won last year and he's a real strong prospect of being able to repeat the dose in the $88,000 finale on Sunday, especially considering the 47.85 that Dusty Gambler required to complete the second heat for his conditioner Karen Walsh.
"Disco (kennel name) pulled up super, in fact you wouldn't even know he had such a tough race yesterday," commented his
northern caretaker trainer for this assignment Thayne Green.
"He really enjoyed his hydro bath this morning."
Ring The Bell has drawn nicely for his railing racing style in the two trap for the final.
"He's going to enjoy jumping from there. Disco is such a professional stayer – he's a natural at it. He is doing very well for his age (whelped November 2013). We have looked after him and he has responded to that treatment," advised Adcock about his charge who is just $290 away from breaking through the $400,000 stakes earning barrier.
Dusty Gambler has done everything right since he crossed the Tasman, winning all seven of his races on this side of the Ditch. Included has been 747m and 755m Group races.
He was taking noticeable light paw steps at the business end of his heat and the quick back up required for these canine staying athletes over the extreme 779m trip is the unknown factor for him.
Dave and Jean Fahey will return with a pair of stayers who delivered completely contrasting heat performances. Translator chased Ring The Bell throughout for his 3.75 length heat second.
Pirate's Curse was massive when claiming his heat fourth behind Dusty Gambler, after being appreciably tailed off behind his other heat rivals. He fairly thundered home late, hinting that the back-up isn't likely to faze him.
Cristiane Cyborg overcame a series of checks prior to finding the line stylishly for her heat third, seven lengths adrift of Ring The Bell. Her mum Nina's Girl won the 2011 edition of the Silver Collar and her daughter is a likely improver for the final.
It was a miracle that the Silver Collar heats were even held.
Over 100mm of rain fell around the Manukau region on Sunday morning resulting in severe flooding, including volumes of water that cascaded down onto the track from an extremely heavily flooded trainers' car park.
That deeply gouged out the track on the bend just prior to the 527m, ultimately leading to the transfer of the race meeting to Monday afternoon.
The recovery work undertaken was remarkable and the meeting was duly completed on Monday in rainy conditions.