Ozzie On Track For New Zeland Cup Berth

FOR greyhound purists, Wednesday evening at Addington Raceway is a meeting to savior as final fields will be decided for three group 1 events.

Yes, that's correct, ten races on the card will finalise fields which will contest rich finals over the 295m, 520m and 732m distances at the elite level of racing on November 12.

It's New Zealand Cup week where all three racing codes contest their respective New Zealand Cup, along with a prolificacy of additional group races, in the garden city of Christchurch.

First up on Wednesday are the four 520m semi-finals for the $100,000 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup following last week's round of seven enthralling heats.

Setting the time standard from those 520m heats was the Daniel Lane prepared Ozzie (pictured), which certainly justified his pre-series TAB favouritism in the all-in market.

He demolished his rivals when scampering to his 30.11 win and drawing the one trap in his semi (race 2) will see him hopping away at cramped odds.

Craig Roberts advanced seven of his heat contenders, although surprisingly he didn't win a heat. Included is his dual group 1 winner Leonard Bale which kicked on stoutly for his heat third. He has drawn to feature from the eight trap in his semi (race 3).

Improvement can be expected from kennelmate Zipping Sheldon (race 4) after his bold NZ debut heat second. The advancement claims held by Quincy Bale (race 1), Dyna Dave (race 1), Uthor Bale (race 2) and Yoel Bale (race 4) cannot be lightly dismissed.

When it comes to training Kiwi group race winners, there is no other peer than the Dave and Jean Fahey combination. Mentoring in excess of 100 black type victors certainly confirms that.

They prepared two heat winners with Opawa Slick (30.51s, race 1) and Rock On John (30.36s, race 4) prevailing.

They will be joined in the semis by another six kennel contenders.

And then there is the Lisa Cole assault on the NZ Cup as seen by the seven kennel runners she returns to Addington with.

Her recent Wanganui Cup winner Big Time Lantao (race 3) completed her heat assignment in 30.21s, while Big Time Seth (race 2) returned a handy 30.13s for his heat win.

Melbourne commentator James Van der Maat retains an interest in the series with his pair of Calum Weir prepared contenders, headed by his 30.30s heat winner Van Nindi (race 1).

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There was an array of sharp short course sprinting talent on display in Friday's eight 295m heats for the $30,000 The Fitz Sports Bar Galaxy Sprint.

Lane produced Seve (race 8), who is a litter brother to NZ Cup contender Ozzie, to deliver his searing 16.84s dash and Lane will load away another three semi contenders.

Archie John Hill (race 5) matched that time for the Fahey's and his semifinal clash with the Cole trained inform 16.99s heat winner Trojan Hoarse looms as a cracker.

The defending Galaxy Sprint title holder Buddy Boom (race 6) remains in the series following his sound heat second to the Malcolm Grant prepared 17.07s heat winner Starburst George for his northern conditioners Jared Udy and Denise Cottam.

The staying athletes join the fray as they contest a pair of heats over the 732m trip for the $30,000 Suck It Up NZ Stayers Cup at group 1 level.

Cole recently produced the Sandown Cup winner Bronski Beat for his first-up 603m NZ debut outing at Manukau.

He was run late by the Angela Turnwald trained Emgrand Rose and this pair clash again from the inside traps in the first heat (race 9).

Adding interest to the heat is the recent Wanganui Distance runner-up Little Teegs from the northern based Arch Lawrence kennels.

The Fahey's line-up an interesting pair of stayers here in Student Loan and Mighty Muscle.

Mr. Blackjack won a warm-up 645m race for the Fahey's here last Thursday, indicating his readiness for his assignment over an extreme journey in the second heat (race 10).

His kennelmate Von Strass gamely chased him home last week and he will relish the increased distance here.

A similar comment applies to the Steve and Bonnie Evans prepared proven stayer Goldstar Sydney.

The visitor Hot Platter is a previous Addington 732m winner for Turnwald and she has drawn to advance from her two-trap allocation.