Tassie’s Finest Progress To Launceston Cup Semis
Two of Tasmania's finest chasers have graduated in brilliant fashion to the semi-finals of the 2014 Launceston Cup Final to be conducted next week.
Both Buckle Up Wes (Collision – Everlong Bale) and Hellyeah Bolt (Dyna Lachlan – Flash Diamond) blitzed their rivals in their respective heats of the prestigious event, which were conducted at Monday night's LGRC meeting.
Raced by North West Coast women Robyn Johnson and Sharon Sutton and prepared by Mangalore mentor Ted Medhurst, Buckle Up Wes recorded a sizzling 29.59 in scoring by 11 lengths and enhancing his lifetime record to 17 wins from 30 outings and stakes of in excess of $60,000.
Raced by the Hellyeah Syndicate headed by Rick Donaldson and prepared by Anthony Bullock, Hellyeah Bolt put 13 lengths on his rivals and recorded his 15th win from 24 outings and increased his earnings to almost $42,000 in the time of 29.97.
Other heat winners were Black Rip (30.22), Heidi Go Seek (30.25), Varcoe (30.16), Mental As Ben (30.39), Fighting Fang (30.28) and Mighty Lomar (30.10).
Black Rip (Goodesy – Richmond Fox) displayed his customary early brilliance and ran his rivals ragged for Shane Whitney and the Ripping Syndicate.
The former New South Wales chaser has now won seven of 12 outings, including the Angus Evans Memorial, since debuting in Hobart during November and is proving to be an excellent investment for connections.
Heidi Go Seek (Talks Cheap – Ceejay's Vixen) ran down the flying Nooee's Lad (Knocka Norris – Break Of Dawn), to record her 16th victory from the kennel of Anakie trainer Angela Langton.
The lightly raced Debbie Cannan prepared Varcoe ( El Galo – Magic Dust), led throughout to score his seventh victory and appears to have struck form at the opportune time.
Young Rosevale trainer Ricky Martin was seen in the winner's circle with the improving Mental As Ben (Cosmic Rumble – Aspen Gold), which has now won six of 23 lifetime outings and stakes in excess of $12,000.
The Gary Johnson prepared Fighting Fang (Collision – Fang Meehan) ran on strongly to score an impressive victory in his particular heat. Virtually unwanted in wagering on the event as an $11 chance, the chaser ran down the speedy Bain's Lane (Bit Chili – Wooreddy) in the straight and is now beginning to reveal his undoubted potential, despite having only won on four occasions.
The final heat on a great night's racing was taken out by Mighty Lomar ( Where's Pedro – Worldclasslomar), which has won two of four Tasmanian starts since arriving from interstate and contesting the Devonport Cup last month.
The first four greyhounds home in each of the eight heats will contest one of four semi-finals next week and then the first two home will graduate to the $40,000 to the winner Launceston Cup Final on February 17.