Ritza Piper Produces Boilover In Topgun Stayers

RITZA Piper has produced a boilover result to win the Group 1 Topgun Stayers (730m) at The Meadows on Saturday night.

The classy NSW stayer went into the race as one of the rank outsiders but after landing in a stalking position behind tearaway leader Korda going down the straight the first time, her odds sharpened dramatically.

In a mixing affair, Ritza Piper, a daughter of Ritza Lenny and Ritza Vonnie, roared away late to score by 2 ¼ lengths in 42.66. 

Flashing home late for second was defending champion Moraine Suzie while third was Palawa King which put in a mammoth performance after bombing the start by a considerable margin.

Trained in NSW by Joe Scerri, Ritza Piper has been with Paul Bartolo for her Topgun Stayers preparation, the Melbourne Cup winning conditioner over the moon with the result.   

The G1 Topgun Stayers goes to NSW in 2023!

Ritza Piper gets the big G1 for trainer Joseph Scerri and caretaker Paul Bartolo ????????@Thedogs_com_au pic.twitter.com/AWfwS226NY

— Melbourne Greyhounds – The Meadows (@MelbourneGreys) November 11, 2023

"Really wrapped for Joe(y) – great result," Bartolo said.

"I've had her for about four weeks and she's been trialling really well but I didn't know a lot about her to be honest.

"My only instructions were to spoil her because apparently she is at home. So Di has been out with her rubbing her stomach and treating her like a pet as much as a race dog.

"And it's worked. As I said just really happy for Joe. He's a terrific young kid."

Ritza Piper's Topgun Stayers heroics takes her stake earnings to $240,450.

From 40 starts she's now a 15-time winner with the Topgun Stayers title her first at group 1 level.

Winner of the Group 2 Summer Distance Plate in January at Wentworth Park, Ritza Piper's previous best finish in a group 1 was when third to Zipping Orlando in the Association Cup in April.