Postman Pat And Zoha Bale Deliver In Style

SENSATIONAL New Zealand import Postman Pat and staying find Zoha Bale will represent the Big V in the Group 1 National Sprint and Distance Championships after stirring victories in the State Finals at The Meadows on Thursday night.

Postman Pat continued his blistering form since ‘crossing the ditch' when repelling a stern challenge from Tinker Norm to take out the Victorian National Sprint Final (525m).

Trained by Jason Thompson, Postman Pat started $2.10 favourite despite drawing box five and being beaten in his heat at $1.60, when third to Tinker Norm.

Postman Pat burst to the lead rounding the first turn, but Craig Burns' Tinker Norm ($10.60) again looked a huge chance to crash the ex-Kiwi's party when he loomed up ominously.

But Postman Pat kicked strongly to score by 1.19L in a hot time of 29.79sec, his second win from three starts at The Meadows, 10th win from 12 Australian runs, and 20th from 26 overall.

"I thought he'd be able to hold him off, just," handler Luke Thompson told Sky Racing's Jason Adams post-race.

"Tinker Norm has been flying, but this boy is pretty special." 

Kiwi express

POSTMAN PAT delivered a stirring performance in the Victorian Sprint Championship at @MelbourneGreys.

The former New Zealander outlasted a determined TINKER NORM to earn himself a Big V guernsey on August 26.#GreyhoundRacing #PremierRacing pic.twitter.com/cpamItxuNF

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) August 10, 2023

Postman Pat, a son of Thompson's dual G1 winner Hooked On Scotch will be striving to break his champion trainer's surprising National Championship hoodoo and give Victoria its first National Sprint title since the great Fernando Bale in 2015.

One race earlier, Zoha Bale, trained by Mark Delbridge, continued the dream start to his staying career, making it two from two over ‘700' with a barnstorming victory in the Victorian National Distance Final (730m).

After a flying last start 41.40sec victory at Sandown Park, Zoha Bale, a son of The Meadows 525m record holder Allen Deed and litter brother to Melbourne Cup victor Yachi Bale, started $1.70 favourite from box two.

Zoha Bale began slowly and was third last with a lap to go.

But he cut loose in the back straight and swept to the front turning for home, powering to a 3.86L victory over last year's Victorian Distance winner Moraine Suzie ($11.30) in a slick 42.34sec, his fifth straight win and 15th from 44 overall.

Pocket rocket

ZOHA BALE made up enormous ground to prove the superior stayer in the Victorian Distance Championship at @MelbourneGreys.

His recent rise to stardom continued making it five straight wins.#GreyhoundRacing #PremierRacing pic.twitter.com/fZl9OcvNzE

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) August 10, 2023

"I didn't think he'd be that far back, but he's definitely got a motor and he weaved his way through," a delighted Delbridge said.

Delbridge will be hoping to go one better than the last time The Meadows hosted the National Grand Finals in 2013, when Tomac Bale was runner-up in the Sprint Championship.

The Victorian Nationals focus will now switch to Healesville for Sunday morning's two state Straight Track Championship heats, headlined by course record-holder Unleash Collinda, also trained by Jason Thompson.

The G1 National Sprint Championship (525m) and G1 National Distance Championship (730m) will be held at The Meadows on Saturday, August 26, with the G3 National Straight Track Championship (350m) to be run at Healesville earlier in the day.

The box draws for all three finals will be conducted on Monday, April 21.