Stella In Race Against Time With Certification

TRAINER Greg Stella is battling overtime to have Certification right for Sunday's Queensland final of the National Straight Track Championship at Capalaba.

The royally bred son of Where's Pedro and Brook's Doll won his heat of the Queensland series last weekend but was “tee-boned” in the catching pen by another runner.

“I've been working on him all week but he has been sore in the back and I have my doubts he will make the race,” said Stella.

“I will check him over again tomorrow (Friday).”

Certification ran 19.84 to win his heat which was just outside the 19.82 run by Eli Red Fawn in the other heat.

“It's been a pretty ordinary week or so for the kennel,” admitted Stella.

“We brought our good bitch Regal Topaz back last week at Albion Park and she ran a great first-up second but dislocated a toe in the run.

“Then I thought Above Average would be very hard to beat in this series at Capalaba and then Healesville, but he didn't fire in the heat. It was the first time in 14 starts up Capalaba that he has been unplaced.

“I've since taken him to Ipswich and he ran 24.87 in a 431 metre trial there.”

The Capalaba winner will head to Healesville for the $35,000 to-the-winner National Straight Track Championship.

Stella was impressed with how Eli Red Fawn won his heat and says he will be hard to beat in Sunday's final for owner-trainer Craig Cassidy.

Murray Bridge ran four heats of the series on Wednesday at the new straight track venue there and the South Australian final sets up a terrific clash.

Heat winners were:

Kisses For Cloda, the daughter of Worm Burner-Sidney's Shadow who ran 19.51 for owner-trainer Ray Fewings as the $1.33 favourite. It was her ninth win in 15 starts.

Winsome Money, Steven Coates' Fernando Bale-Winsome Amanda dog, ran 19.46 in his heat also starting favourite at $2.20. He has won 15 races in 65 starts.

Veteran dog man, Ray Murray, produced Panhandle Slim (Kalden Komoto-Sometimes Speedy) for his return to South Australian racing with a 19.23 win in his heat the fastest of the four heats.

Panhandle Slim has been trained in Victoria since August last year and won at Sandown and Wentworth Park. He had not raced since February but took his record to 17 wins from 27 starts.

Elizabeth Chegia's Fantastic Axel (KC And All-Fantastic Dotty) ran 19.30 in his heat as the $1.65 favourite.

He has now won 10 of 29 starts.