Graeme Bate & Gunda Bale Upset The Laurels Classic Final

Gunda Bale caused one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Macro Meats Laurels when the rank outsider proved too good at Sandown Park tonight.

With first split record holder Purcell Bale missing the start from box 2, the field jostled for position in the run to the first turn. Many greyhounds found trouble however Gunda Bale stuck fast to the rails and found herself three lengths clear on entering the back straight.

The chasing pack set off in pursuit of the unexpected front runner, however they could do little to reign in the lamp lighter, Gunda Bale going on to defeat the gallant Oenjay Dancer by 1.5 lengths with favourite and kennel mate Langi Bale a further 1.5 length away third in 30.01 seconds.
Continue reading Graeme Bate & Gunda Bale Upset The Laurels Classic Final

Irma Bale Wins 2012 McKenna Memorial At Sandown Greyhounds

Irma Bale claimed her second group race title in as many months with a brilliant victory in the $58,000 Group 2 McKenna Memorial at Sandown Park tonight.

Backed in to $2.80 favouritism, the Sandown Cup winner began well from box three to rail through to the lead at the first turn.

It’s A Blur ($9.90), the sole interstate trained greyhound in the race, then swept down the middle of the track to assume the lead on leaving the home straight. However that racing style would eventually prove her undoing.
Continue reading Irma Bale Wins 2012 McKenna Memorial At Sandown Greyhounds

Stetson Donna Leads All The Way In Sandown’s 2011 Laurels Classic

Peter Dundon’s dream start to his training career continued at Sandown Park tonight when exciting youngster Stetson Donna led all the way to win the Group 2 Macro Meats Laurels Classic.

Dundon, who only started training in April, was confident of his charge’s chances ahead of the $50,000 to-the-winner final, and that confidence was justified when Stetson Donna ($7.90) began brilliantly from box 3 to lead through the first turn ahead of Witch’s Potion ($20.90) and Take Me Home ($19.30).

Down the back straight, the trio cleared away from the pack headed by odds on favourite Irma Bale ($1.70) who railed strongly through the first turn after blowing the start.
Continue reading Stetson Donna Leads All The Way In Sandown’s 2011 Laurels Classic

Home Sweet Home For Kalden Athena

After a three month drought, Group-winning bitch Kalden Athena has returned to the winner’s circle at Cannington this week. Since leaving Western Australia in February, the blue fawn chaser has been earning many frequent flyer miles with starts in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in pursuit of some lucrative prize money.

However, after a few indifferent performances, many were wondering if the form that won the S.A Derby and placed in the Laurels could ever be recaptured.

But with a ticket home to the kennels of Dan Biddle, and a good box draw to boot, Kalden Athena quickly made a mess of her rivals, and cruised home by seven lengths in the lead-all-the-way performance.
Continue reading Home Sweet Home For Kalden Athena

GRSA Summer Chasing Carnival In Full Swing For Adelaide Cup Semi Finals

Week three of GRSA’s summer chasing carnival is upon us and things are starting to heat up faster than the Adelaide weather. With four semi-finals Group 1 Tattsbet.com Adelaide Cup scheduled to be held Thursday night, along with seven heats of the John Gray Memorial, it’s definitely one for the racing purists.

This follows what was an excellent night last Thursday, which saw Symmetry follow up his Sale Cup win with an impressive victory in the Interstate Challenge. Octane Show and Greywinds Doll were going stride for stride up front, but neither of them could match the mid-race burst of Robert Britton’s versatile chaser. His box eight record is looking better by the week with four wins from the outside alley. This recent version was completed in 29.75 for the 515m journey.

Another box eight specialist, Satanic Cash added to the night by landing the $30,000 West End Distance Championship. It was a textbook ‘Cash’ victory with a forceful finish that left handy race leader Aston Rachael with windburn in the home straight. Much overdue was a feature event win for Bob Isaacson and his black staying star.
Continue reading GRSA Summer Chasing Carnival In Full Swing For Adelaide Cup Semi Finals

2011 Group 1 Adelaide Cup Greyhound Racing Series Preview And Tips

The 2011 version of the Group 1 Tattsbett.com Adelaide Cup will kick off at Angle Park this week. Last year saw Victorian sprinter Dyna Lachlan win the prize over a quality field that included High Earner, Mr Metz, Springvale Dash and Strictly Mambo. Likewise this year, a very talented pool of interstate greyhounds have come across to tackle the $96,000 final that is the climax to a three week series.

In a unique format, the Adelaide Cup sees 16 nominated greyhounds to automatically progress to the semi finals, with all other nominations competing in the first round of heats (to be held Thursday night). The first two placegetters from those eight heats will join the 16 seeded dogs the week after, to compete in four semi finals.

Also incorporated into the GRSA summer chasing carnival is the Advertiser Interstate Challenge – a special event where four invited interstate greyhounds meet four of the best South Australia can offer. Below is a comprehensive look at all eights cup heats as well as the highly-anticipated Interstate Challenge.
Continue reading 2011 Group 1 Adelaide Cup Greyhound Racing Series Preview And Tips

Graeme Bate’s Up And Away Laurels Victory Tempered By Positive Swab

While it was all cheers and beers after the second running for 2010 of the Laurels at Sandown last night when the Graeme Bate trained Up And Away prevailed over Kalden Athena, news has broken today that the victory has been tainted by a recent positive swab hearing before the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board.

Despite Greyhound Racing Victoria not releasing any information whatsoever with regard to a Stewards Inquiry about Bate’s positive swab, it is understood a RADB hearing was held on the 21st December 2010 and Bate was found guilty or presenting a greyhound to race under the influence of a prohibited substance.

The positive swab stems from a swab taken from Jarvis Bale back in July 2010 when running third in the Group 2 AWM Distance Championship at The Meadows. On that occasion, Jarvis Bale was beaten by West Australia Blue Lorian for the $25,000 first prize.
Continue reading Graeme Bate’s Up And Away Laurels Victory Tempered By Positive Swab

Up And Away Makes It Eight Straight Winning 2010′s Second Laurels

Master trainer Graeme Bate took out the final Group 1 event of 2010 when exciting youngster Up And Away scored a thrilling victory in the $72,500 Group 1 Macro Meats Laurels Classic at Sandown Park tonight.

Coming into the race on the back of seven consecutive wins, Up And Away was widely tipped to lead the race, however it was favourite and fastest qualifier Kalden Athena ($2.90) who was the best to begin. However Up And Away ($3.90) soon mustered pace to take a clear lead through the first turn.

Up And Away then raced clear down the back straight with Isadoll ($3.90) and Kalden Athena in hot pursuit. The chasing pair engaged in a brief bumping duel before Kalden Athena made her move upon turning for home.
Continue reading Up And Away Makes It Eight Straight Winning 2010′s Second Laurels

El Grand Senor Rises To The Top Of The Rankings Table

At the end of October, El Grand Senor sat in eighth place on the Australian Greyhound Racing Associations monthly rankings, which are calculated by points being allocated to a dog that competes in a group final based on their finishing position.

In the space of one month, the Carolyn Jones trained superstar now sits top of the tree with 210 points, eight points clear of Reg Kay’s Elite Blue Size with 202 points and rounding out the top three is distance star Blue Lorian with 193 points who just etched out Enry Walt by one point.

It seems the greyhound world has found its next big attraction with El Grand Senor’s statistics just as impressive as his group victories thus far. In October he claimed the illustrious group one Sky Channel Top Gun, and in November he added his third group one win to his trophy cabinet after an unusual moderate start he mustered his early speed and took the lead heading around the first turn to extend the winning margin to just over six lengths and recorded an impressive 29.55. He is now just one group one win away from being eligible for the Australian Greyhound Racing Hall of Fame.
Continue reading El Grand Senor Rises To The Top Of The Rankings Table

Laurels Classic Winner Awarded June Greyhound Of The Month

AGRA’s Greyhound of the Month for June 2010 is young Victoria sprinter C’est La Vie. In June the talented Red Fawn youngster won three from three making a clean sweep of the Group 1 Hawkins Media Laurels.

Beautifully prepared by leading Victorian mentor Robert Britton she has always shown a liking for the Lightwood Road circuit at Sandown from six starts she has four wins and two placings. Her Laurels campaign commenced on June 13 with an all the way win, clocking 29.91 to down the talented Galaxy High.

In her semi final on June 17 she again led all the way to beat Geisha Bale in 30.12 like in the heat her early section set the race up with a fast 5.15 she had recorded 5.14 on the Sunday.
Continue reading Laurels Classic Winner Awarded June Greyhound Of The Month

C’est La Vie Captures The Group 1 Laurels Classic

The Robert Britton trained C’est La Vie ($9.70) made it a one act affair against a quality field of young female chasers in the final of the Group 1 Hawkins Media Laurels Classic final at Sandown Park on Thursday night.

After showing her customary early speed from the white box, C’est La Vie led the Laurels field a merry dance on her way to a memorable Laurels victory.

It always promised to be an intriguing final after the box-draw, with the fancied runners all being drawn together in boxes two through to six, and while C’est La Vie was grabbing the early advantage her most prominent rivals bumped and jostled for position as they passed the post the first time around.
Continue reading C’est La Vie Captures The Group 1 Laurels Classic

Hawkins Media Laurels Classic Final Thursday 24th June 2010

Laurels Classic Semi Finals Thursday 17th June 2010

Hawkins Media Laurels Classic Sunday 13th June 2010

The Nation’s Best Bitches Ready For Group 1 Classic

Australia’s best female greyhounds will step out at Sandown Park this Thursday night for the heats of the $72,500 Group 1 Macro Meats Crown Classic.

Cindeen Shelby, who has won two Group 1 races in her last two starts – including the Group 1 Sky Racing Topgun at the Meadows on Saturday night – headlines seven stellar heats whose runners have combined to win 552 races and over $2.6 million in prizemoney.

Multiple Group race winner Queen Lauryn returns to Sandown Park to defend her title. A controversial seconnd reserve for the Topgun, Queen Lauryn took out the Group 2 All Stars Sprint at Cannington on Saturday and boasts three wins and three seconds in six starts at the Lightwood Road circuit.
Continue reading The Nation’s Best Bitches Ready For Group 1 Classic

Major Mission On A Major President’s Trophy Mission

Pre post favorite Major Mission will be out to record another victory when he contests the President’s Trophy Final at Ballarat on Wednesday night.

The classy three year old which is trained by Tony Attard, has already won the Group 2 Warragul Cup and St. Ledger, and is the only chaser in history to do so.

“I’ve been training greyhounds in excess of 40 years, and he’s by far the best I have had in the kennel.” Attard said.
Continue reading Major Mission On A Major President’s Trophy Mission

Greyhound Racing Tips For Wednesday 8th July 2009

Welcome to Australian Racing Greyhound’s free Greyhound Racing Tips for Wednesday 8th July 2009 with Tips tonight from Ballarat (Victoria), Warrnambool (Victoria), Bulli (New South Wales), Ipswich (Queensland) and Cannington (West Australia).

So with racing coming Ballarat (Victoria), Warrnambool (Victoria), Bulli (New South Wales), Ipswich (Queensland), and Cannington (West Australia), lets review our betting advice for those tracks.

Ballarat is one of the fairest one turn tracks in the country and in general punters can bet with confidence over all distances, although inside boxes are slightly favoured and the 8 box races well off the 450m start. The track suits both speedy and strong greyhounds.
Continue reading Greyhound Racing Tips For Wednesday 8th July 2009

High Earner’s Prizemoney Total Heading To $138,000

In the same week close blood relation El Galo has officially been retired to stud a little over $10,000 short of the $530,995 Australian Prizemoney Record held by Rapid Journey; early Imagetec Gold Coast Cup favourite High Earner will have his shot this Thursday night at a fourth Group Two win to take his prizemoney earnings to nearly $140,000.

The Queensland Derby and West Australia Derby winner will line up in box eight in the Imagetec Gold Coast Cup at Albion Park and has lead the betting at 3-1 since qualifying in last Thursday night’s heats.

The Group Two Gold Coast Cup is worth $38,000 in total prizemoney, including a $25,000 winner’s cheque.
Continue reading High Earner’s Prizemoney Total Heading To $138,000

Boozeroo Bolts In The Group 1 2009 Laurels

Boozeroo stamped herself as a greyhound of the future by taking out the $72,500 Group 1 Hawkins Media Laurels at Sandown Park tonight.

The scratching of Ashby Rose saw four-time Group finalist Nova Surf shorten into as little as $1.30 on TAB Sportsbet’s Fixed Odds, however Darren McDonald’s exciting youngster couldn’t match the early pace as Boozeroo ($5.30) exploded from box 1 to take the lead through the first turn.

Nova Surf ($1.60F) sat one length adrift entering the back straight and the pair cleared away from the field. However Boozeroo accelerated, increasing the margin to two lengths coming off the back and maintained that gap to win the time honoured Classic by 2.75 lengths in 29.74.
Continue reading Boozeroo Bolts In The Group 1 2009 Laurels

Injured Nova Surf Loses Group 1 Laurels Final

As reported here on Australian Racing Greyhound, and ridiculed by half-baked The Dogs greyhound writer Ben Damon; Nova Surf handed in a sub par performance tonight which saw her lose the 2009 Group 1 Laurels.

Easily the standout of the Laurels series, Nova Surf suffered a severe catching pen incident following her 29.74 semi final win and despite Darren McDonald’s confidence tonight that “it was only muscular soreness”, the injury clearly caused enough of a confidence or gait problem to see the flying New South Wales bitch run more than 5.5 lengths off her best to finish only third in the huge Group 1 final.

Beginning only average from her favoured box seven draw, Nova Surf struggled to make ground early and could go nowhere near her 5.09 personal best first sectional, struggling to keep up with Boozeroo who had begun well from box one running only 5.13 and leading the black speedster easily.
Continue reading Injured Nova Surf Loses Group 1 Laurels Final

Greyhound Racing Tips For Thursday 25th June 2009

Welcome to Australian Racing Greyhound’s free Greyhound Racing Tips for Thursday 25th June 2009 with Tips tonight from Sandown Park (Victoria), Dapto (New South Wales), Albion Park (Queensland), Angle Park (South Australia) and Mandurah (West Australia).

It doesn’t get much better than this with Greyhound Racing coming our way from the Group 1 Laurels Final for the young females, the final of the Group 2 McKenna Memorial and the final of the Group 3 Queensland Cup at Albion Park

Despite the scartching of Ashby Rose and the inclusion of group clas bitch Brislane back in to the Laurels field, Nova Surf who is three time group placegetter is a clas aboce the field and will go around odds on despite an injury scare.
Continue reading Greyhound Racing Tips For Thursday 25th June 2009

2009 Group 1 Laurels Final Detailed Form

The 2009 Group 1 Laurels is just a day away now, with the big final to be run and won tomorrow night. The classic final for the female youngsters race will see the winner walk away with $50,000 first prizemony, and despite some injury concerns, four time group race finalist Nova Surf is a hot favourite to win.

The Laurels was first held at Sandown Park in 1964 when Tara Princess took out the inaugural running. Prizemoney for the now Group 1 race has steadily increased from $3,000 back in 1970 to $10,000 in 1977, before dropping away for the best part of twenty years. In 1990 prizemeoney again returned to $10,000 and with the advent of the group racing calendar in Australia has taken leaps and bounds forward to its current level of $50,000 to the winner.

It is a very much sought after Group 1 event, especially by breeders as with the Laurels title comes significant value as a potential brood bitch. Many of the Laurels finalists have bred on to become house hold names after producing some of the superstars of the sport.
Continue reading 2009 Group 1 Laurels Final Detailed Form

Hawkins Media Laurels Classic Final Thursday 25th June 2009

Continue reading Hawkins Media Laurels Classic Final Thursday 25th June 2009

2009 Group 1 Laurels Favourite Under Injury Cloud

The 2009 Group 1 Laurels final is just days away now, and panic has gone through the Nova Surf camp and the Sandown Greyhound Club after Nova Surf was found to be injured following her breathtaking semi final win in 29.74.

After striding to the post for the easiest of wins, she eased down in to the catching pen but was so far ahead of the rest of the field that she was at a complete stop and side on to a lagging runner who “t-boned” straight in to her.

Despite no mention in the stewards report, the speedy youngster was seen to be very dazed after the incident and walked off the track very gingerly.
Continue reading 2009 Group 1 Laurels Favourite Under Injury Cloud

Nova Surf Bolts In To The Laurels Final & Favouritism

Nova Surf is set to start a long odds-on favourite in the final of next week’s $72,500 Group 1 Hawkins Media Laurels at Sandown Park after blitzing her rivals in tonight’s semi finals.

Rated the kennel’s fastest early dog by trainer Darren McDonald, Nova Surf ($1.40F) shanghaied from box 7 to cross to the rail and lead through the first turn.

From there, the former New South Wales sprinter was never challenged, racing to a 4.5 length win over the fast finishing Boozeroo ($5.20) in a slick 29.74.
Continue reading Nova Surf Bolts In To The Laurels Final & Favouritism

Greyhound Racing Tips For Thursday 18th June 2009

Welcome to Australian Racing Greyhound’s free Greyhound Racing Tips for Thursday 18th June 2009 with Tips tonight from Sandown Park (Victoria), Dapto (New South Wales), Albion Park (Queensland), Angle Park (South Australia) and Mandurah (West Australia).

Some fantastic Greyhound Racing coming our way tonight with the semi finals of the Group 1 Laurels for the young females, heats of the Group 2 McKenna Memorial and, in our opinion, the best Group 2 Queensland Derby final seen for decades as well as the Group 3 Queensland Cup heats at Albion Park.

The scratching of Setanta from the Queensland Derby final has only strengthened to quality of the field with Fedex gaining the run from first reserve. Should be a great race and if you only do one thing tonight be sure to tune in at 9:10pm for what should be one of the best races you’ll see this year.
Continue reading Greyhound Racing Tips For Thursday 18th June 2009

Hawkins Media Laurels Classic Semi Finals Thursday 18th June 2009

Continue reading Hawkins Media Laurels Classic Semi Finals Thursday 18th June 2009

Greyhound Racing Tips For Thursday 11th June 2009

Welcome to Australian Racing Greyhound’s free Greyhound Racing Tips for Thursday 11th June 2009 with Tips tonight from Sandown Park (Victoria), Dapto (New South Wales), Albion Park (Queensland), Angle Park (South Australia) and Mandurah (West Australia).

Some fantastic Greyhound Racing coming our way tonight with the heats of the Group 1 Laurels for the young females and the males leading the way at Albion Park in the Queensland Derby heats. We’ll provide our betting Tips for each of the heats and hopefully find a few winners.

Last night’s Tips weren’t far off the mark with 3 firsts and 3 seconds from the 6 selections. Unfortunately the 3 winners were shades of red on the totes , so hopefully some of you worked the 6 Tips around the exotics and got a nice collect. Mind you, you’ll go along way to find another free tipping service that can provide 100% of selections in first or second place.
Continue reading Greyhound Racing Tips For Thursday 11th June 2009

Hawkins Media Laurels Classic Heats Thursday 11th June 2009

Continue reading Hawkins Media Laurels Classic Heats Thursday 11th June 2009

Nova Surf All Set To Make Another Group Final

Nova Surf will start a short-priced favourite in the fourth heat of the Group 1 Hawkins Media Laurels when the series kicks off this Thursday night at Sandown Park.

Trained by Darren McDonald, Nova Surf was the only bitch to contest the final of the recent Group 1 Maturity Classic at The Meadows where she placed a gallant second behind Aston Trivett after overcoming early trouble.

A black bitch by Surf Lorian out of Nova Keroma, Nova Surf has won 11 of her 19 starts and has only once found herself outside the placings. She comes into the series as a last-start 29.96 Sandown winner, despite being only moderately away at box-rise.
Continue reading Nova Surf All Set To Make Another Group Final

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