Fierce Rivals Primed For Ballarat Cup Battle

POTENTIAL superstar Mr. Audacious, warm favourite for Friday night's Group 2 Ballarat Cup final (450m), and Warragul Cup winner Robbie Rotten have only met three times, but the brilliant speedsters have already forged a fierce rivalry.

The score-line currently sits 2 -1 in Mr. Audacious' favour; with Robbie Rotten's teenage training prodigy, Kayla Cottrell, admitting she's already seen more than enough of her much-hyped nemesis.

"I said to Rachael (Busuttil, trainer of Mr. Audacious) that I'm getting sick of looking at Mr. Audacious' backside," Cottrell quipped.

Robbie Rotten finished second to Mr. Audacious in track record time in last month's Shepparton Cup heats, with the ex-NSW speedster also breaking the previous record, before finishing runner-up to Substantial in the final, where Mr. Audacious was an unlucky fifth.

ICYMI: ROBBIE ROTTEN (8) was too ‘fresh' for his rivals at Shepparton last night.

? ROBBIE ROTTEN
? Kayla Cottrell
? G2 #WarragulCup
? Won 5 of past 6: 83%
? 6 from 8 Box 8: 75%
? 25.06sec

Results ? https://t.co/qvOx8AznGT#GreyhoundRacing pic.twitter.com/VghKJwT2Qj

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) March 1, 2022

Robbie Rotten once again chased home fastest qualifier Mr. Audacious in near-record time in last Friday's Ballarat Cup heats, clocking the second quickest qualifying time in defeat.

They've drawn alongside each other for Friday's $50,000 to-the-winner Ballarat Cup showdown, where Mr. Audacious (Box 4) is TAB's $2.20 favourite, with Robbie Rotten (Box 3) the $4.40 second elect.

"I don't mind running second to Mr. Audacious because you know you're running fast time," Cottrell said.

"When Robbie Rotten ran second in the Shepparton Cup heat, he broke the track record too, which you don't see very often, and then last Friday if he'd been in any other heat, he would have won it.

"Robbie Rotten did an enormous job to run second in the Shepparton Cup. He didn't begin like he can and had to do it the hard way.

"He's got to come out on Friday and make his own luck. As much as you don't like to say it, if there's some trouble behind him, hopefully, he'll be off and gone.

"Mr. Audacious doesn't fly out of the boxes but after a couple of strides he just takes off and his second section is unbelievable. He broke 11 seconds in the heat, which is unheard of.

"He's been a super dog since he came down from NSW. He's really gone to a new level. He's made three of these country cups now and ran first at Warragul and second at Shepparton, so hopefully he doesn't run third on Friday!"

? BOX DRAW ?

? #BallaratCup Final
? Friday night, April 8

1️⃣ HENNESSEY
2️⃣ YOZO BALE
3️⃣ ROBBIE ROTTEN
4️⃣ MR. AUDACIOUS ?
5️⃣ SUBSTANTIAL
6️⃣ COMPLIANCE
7️⃣ FERDINAND BOY
8️⃣ DO IT

9️⃣ PERFECT COLOUR (1R)
? UNATHI BALE (2R)#GreyhoundRacing @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/NwDC9rHUHi

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) April 1, 2022

Cottrell will be taking aim at another feature event at Saturday night's Golden Easter Egg meeting at Wentworth Park, with Devine Empress (Box 4) lining up in the G3 New Sensational final (520m).

Boasting an imposing 11 from 16 record, Devine Empress made an impressive Wentworth Park debut when winning her heat of the $40,000 to-the-winner New Sensation in 29.94sec and the well-bred daughter of Barcia Bale and 2017 Launching Pad winner Suffragette is a $5 chance with TAB.

Cottrell will be hoping to go one better than on Easter Egg night last year when Fernando Cazz was edged out by Stanley Road in the G1 Association Cup.