PROMISING young greyhound Galactic Panther should be able to overcome an unsuitable box five and unsuitable distance to win Sunday’s 400-metre grade six ClassicBet final at Tara Raceway.
Owned at Moorak by Robert Chuck and trained by Steve Bartholomew of Worrolong, Galactic Panther, after being third early in the first of two heats last week, stormed home to defeat the front-running Lektra Miss by a half length in 23.41 seconds.
The black dog was having only his second run back after finishing unplaced in the September 24,512-metre Destini Fireball Winter Classic final won by Solitary Lad, also a winner last Sunday.
By Milldean Panther out of Galactic Rumball, Galactic Panther is a litter brother to Faster Bolt, the fastest-ever Tara Raceway 400-metre maiden winner and now winning in Victoria.
Bartholomew, who took over Galactic Panther’s training after the Winter Classic, is setting the January 2016 whelping for February’s 512-metre Peter Rocket Summer Classic, a series for all dogs and bitches whelped on or after January 2016.
“He ran a terrific race in his Winter Classic heat to reach the final but from an age and distance perspective he will be much better suited in February’s classic,” he said.
“As far as Sunday’s race is concerned, Galactic Panther should be better for the run and if he enjoys a bit of luck early then he should be right in the mix at the finish.”
Victorian trainer Gavin Gledhill once again will be on the road at some ungodly hour when he takes off from Coomboona with a team of nine – including Marko Bale and Jai Jai Away who will contest the final from boxes seven and eight.
Gledhill’s team performed pretty well last Sunday considering they had never seen the track and those returning this Sunday should be better for the run.
Marko Bale, who qualified for the final when running fourth behind Galactic Panther, had no luck early after tangling with race favourite Galactic Shiraz but once finding the rails worked home well while Jai Jai Away looked lost mid-race before finishing third in the second heat to Banjo Boss.
Banjo Boss, the first leg of a treble for Compton trainer Tracie Price, led all the way from box one, eventually running out a two-and-three-quarter length winner over Sweet Spud in 23.52 seconds.
By Banjo Boy, Banjo Boss is out of the second litter of proven producer Rustic Reeta who recently whelped a third litter – eight dogs and four bitches to Sulzanti, a son of Magic Sprite x Scissor Queen who raced on only 12 occasions for seven wins, six of those in best of the night.
Century nears
NICOLE Stanley came close in her bid to become the first trainer to land 100 winners at Tara Raceway in a season but last Sunday ended with 99.
The Portland-based Stanley does not have a runner until race six, the 600-metre Williams Crane Hire Stake at Tara Raceway’s Friday meeting, however she looks a strong chance of bringing up her century in the middle-distance event with Shiney Bling, Stylish Pursuit and Hay Miss all looking well placed in the grade 5/6 mixed stake.
Not only would a win by Stylish Pursuit give Stanley her 100 winners, but would also keep the daughter of Mogambo x Butterfly Bling in rough contention for Greyhound of the Year honours.
Shiney Bling, who finished well for second behind Xtreme Carnage at Horsham last Saturday, is yet to race over 600 metres although she gives the impression the extra distance will be no problem.
Interestingly, her dam, Lollipop Bling, is a litter sister to Butterfly Bling.
Friday’s meeting comprises 11 time-graded races which generally makes things a bit tougher although a couple of box one runners in David Peckham’s Raz’s Girl (Gordon Refrigeration Stake) and
Robert Halliday’s Homer (winningformula.net.au Stake) look to be sound chances on the 12-race card.
