IN THIS WEEK’S GREYHOUND RECORDER:
JULY 2, 2009
GALO'S DATE WITH DESTINY

Champion Victorian sprinter El Galo has a date with destiny at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Victory in the Group 2 Over Flo At Stud Bob Payne Winter Stake will see El Galo finally surpass the great Rapid Journey as Australian greyhound racing’s highest prizemoney winner.
El Galo has been threatening to claim Rapid Journey’s mantle for much of 2009 and with a lucrative career at stud beckoning the Winter Stake could well be the brilliant front-runner’s final chance to break the record.
El Galo recently became only the second Australian greyhound to pass $500,000 in prizemoney and he heads into the Winter Stake decider with earnings of $515,745.
The Winter Stake’s $25,000 winner’s purse will allow El Galo to pass Rapid Journey’s tally of $530,995, which was achieved in 1998.
While El Galo was totally dominant in a trademark all-the-way 30.07 heat victory, he isn’t the fastest qualifier for Saturday night’s final, with talented bitch Foxhill Bella winning her heat in a blistering 29.79, while the other run-offs went to veteran Cool Flight in 30.05 and emerging youngster Dentax Bale in 30.69.

VERITY LIVES LAURELS DREAM

Dreams do come true in greyhound racing.
Just ask Verity Cotton, who last Thursday night at Sandown won the prestigious Hawkins Media Laurels with Boozeroo, her first Group 1 finalist.
Verity and Boozeroo combined for a fairytale Laurels success, upstaging odds-on favourite Nova Surf and her champion big race mentor Darren McDonald.
Nova Surf, the fastest heat and semi-final winner, was a raging $1.60 Laurels favourite, but that counted for nothing as Boozeroo, the $5.30 second elect, led her rivals a merry dance from the rails.
The May ’07 daughter of Big Daddy Cool and Explosive Flash clocked a best of night 29.74 to defeat Mirella Bale by two and three quarter lengths with Nova Surf finishing third, the third time she has had to settle for a minor placing when sent out at odds-on in a Group 1 race.
In stark contrast, an ecstatic Verity Cotton joined greyhound racing’s most exclusive club at her very first attempt.

MANTRA LAD'S MCKENNA MAGIC

Victorian staying star Mantra Lad returned to his brilliant best when clocking the second fastest time ever recorded over the Sandown 715 metre course in last Thursday night’s Group 2 McKenna Memorial.
In a sensational front-running display, Mantra Lad broke both the second (15.74) and third section (30.52) records en route to a scintillating 41.91 victory in the McKenna Memorial, his time second only to Total Denial’s 41.80 course record.
After a disappointing third in his heat, when sent out at $1.50, Mantra Lad started $3.20 second favourite in the McKenna Memorial decider, with rising star Amity Bale, which was undefeated in three starts over 700 metres, the $2.10 favourite.
But courtesy of his flying sections, Mantra Lad established a massive mid-race advantage and never looked like surrendering the lead, although Amity Bale lost no admirers when powering into second place, beaten only two and a half lengths.
Mantra Lad and McKenna Memorial runner-up Amity Bale are now set for a re-match in the four-dog Superstayers invitational event to be held at Albion Park tonight (Thursday), although Jose revealed his charge was under an injury cloud after pulling up sore last Thursday night.

DWYER'S DASHING DOUBLE ACT

Queensland trainer Dwyer Lennon is hopeful of having a strong hand in both the National Sprint and Distance Championships with his talented litter brothers Dashing Corsair and Dashing Top Hat.
Lennon’s ‘Dashing Duo’ were both successful at Albion Park last Thursday night, with two-time Derby placegetter Dashing Corsair romping home over 600 metres and Dashing Top Hat leading throughout at his 710 metre debut.
It was a memorable night for Lennon as he celebrated a city double with the only two race dogs in his Upper Caboolture kennel.
Dashing Corsair and Dashing Top Hat are litter brothers by Malfoy out of Rose Flamenco and their sire, which was a Group 1 winner as both a sprinter and stayer, has certainly thrown his versatility and strength into the April ’07 whelpings.
While Lennon presently has only Dashing Corsair and Dashing Top Hat in his racing kennel, the future looks bright with their mother Rose Flamenco having produced subsequent litters to Surf Lorian and Melbourne Cup winner Shanlyn Prince.

DOWNLOADS

Recorder December 29 Form Downloads