The Greyhound Recorder Thursday, 14 March, 2013

Page 21

In late August 2012 two of Victorias most promising youngsters at the time clashed in a Grade 4 race at Sandown Park and produced such an enthralling contest that both were stamped as future top liners. Peter Rocket, at just two years of age and starting in his 16th race, defeated Spud Regis, who was lining up for start number seven and was still almost four months shy of his own second birthday. Inexperience cost Spud Regis on that night at Sandown as he wobbled around the first turn under immense pressure from Peter Rocket, who darted through an inside gap and charged clear to beat his younger rival by two lengths in 29.63. The pair clashed again in late September in the South Australian Derby Final at Angle Park, with Spud Regis winning and Peter Rocket settling for third and its been an upwards trajectory for Spud Regis ever since. History shows that Spud Regis in seventeen starts since that Sandown run has become a dual Group 1 winner, with eight wins in that time netting over $385,000 in stakes. Peter Rockets career has not quite scaled the same dizzying heights, but after a frustrating

Peter Rockets Home At Horsham

run in the past six months he looks like he is at last fulfilling all his potential. At Horsham last Saturday Peter Rocket impressively defeated a typical top quality Horsham Cup field to land his first Group race success. Drawn box two, after a strong heat win over Ronan Izmir, the Keith Hellmuth-trained son of Wheres Pedro always had the Group 2 Wimmera Mail Times Horsham Cup (480 metres) in his grasp. Following out Warragul Cup winner Nitro Cee, who gained a start as a reserve with the unfortunate scratching of Proven Maddy, from box one, Peter Rocket held his spot on the fence inside favourite Bubbas Dream ($3.90) in the dash to the first corner. Nitro Cee powered along strongly in the lead and turning for home was travelling well, but she always had the fast finishing Peter Rocket in her shadow and he was to prove unstoppable. Despite the brave attempt by Nitro Cee to cling on, Peter Rocket had too much strength and overpowered Wayne Vassallos gallant bitch to land the $42,000 first prize by a length and a quarter. Bubbas Dream was far from disgraced in holding onto third place, with the wonderful old stager Stagger running on well for fourth in a hot 26.82. Peter Rocket just failed to make last years Maturity Final he was third in a semi-final to Barcia Bale then endured three months away from the track before only just failing to qualify for the Silver Chief Final he was again third in a Group 1 semifinal, this time to Allen Makoto. He went to Cranbourne and was second to the eventual Cup winner Cintiarna and then was again second to the Temlee winner in an Australian Cup heat a form line that has proven to be very strong. Connections must have despaired that Peter Rockets time in the limelight was ever going to arrive. But arrive it did and this impressive Horsham Cup winner

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his performance rates right up with any in recent memory now travels to Sydney on Saturday night for a tilt at the Golden Easter Egg in peak form. He should not be under estimated and nor should any other greyhound that competed in the

Horsham Cup series. The last three Easter Egg winners have come through the Horsham Cup and once again a strong contingent from this years series will be prominent as the Egg unwinds in the next three weeks.

Carters Great Run Continues

Mick Carters great recent run continued unabated at The Meadows on Saturday night when he notched a double. Smart type Shadow Lane set the ball rolling with a brilliant all-the-way win in the first race of the night in fast time. Lane made light work of box eight in demolishing a Grade 5 field by six and three quarter lengths in 29.89. Later in the night Carters impressive New South Wales import Corridor again caught the eye with a barnstorming finish to take the major end of the prize in the Macro Meats Grade 5 Final (525 metres). Corridor was too good for Disco Dave and Danyos Delboy in the $12,000 to-the-winner final, running 30.21. Jack Silver could not quite secure the treble of winners on the night for Carter when he despite being well backed into favouritism ($2.20) failed to run down Osti Moss in a Grade 5.

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Generally better suited drawn close to the fence, Shadow

Williams Snares Horsham Features

Bannockburn-based trainer Daryl Williams enjoyed a fine day out on the support program at Horsham on Cup day with wins in two of the other feature races. Williams, who put the polish on 2006 Western Australian Derby winner Spitfire Jet, doesnt have a large team in work but saluted with Didda Joe in the Jan Wilson Memorial Grade 5 (570 metres) and Velomagic in the GRV VBIS Maiden Series Final (410 metres). Didda Joe produced an amazing mid-race turn of foot to come from sixth at the 480 metres boxes to be a clear leader leaving the back straight. The son of Vapour Whirl continued his forward surge all the way to the winning post and thumped his rivals by almost six lengths in a fast 32.61. Velomagic, a son of Velocette, charged out of box two in the VBIS Maiden Final and despite a late charge from favourite Glasses Up held on to win well. With a half-length between them at the finish, it was the early pace of Velomagic over the short trip that proved the conclusive factor. Glasses Up, trained by Jason Thompson, lost no admirers with a brave second and she will certainly appreciate a step up in distance. Neil Ryan, now based at Devon Meadows but a one-time Horsham resident, landed the other feature on the card with Danyos Vassy winning the Sylvia Penny Memorial (410 metres). Jumping well from box four, Danyos Vassy took the lead from Miss Trew Star on the first turn and powered clear to beat favourite Southwood Paddy by almost three lengths in 23.23.