South Australian Storms Into Sandown Cup Final
Satanic Cash scored a scintillating last-to-first victory to secure a berth in Australia's richest race for stayers, the $143,000 Group1 Radio Sport 927 Sandown Cup at Sandown Park tonight.
A clear last after walking out of box 6, Satanic Cash tacked onto the pack chasing early leader Nelly Bale down the back straight before sweeping around the field to defeat favourite Reign Over Me by 1.25 lengths in 42.10.
Satanic Cash ran an eye catching second in the recent Group 3 Macro Meats Lizrene Classic, and the exciting South Australian will once again need to overcome box 6 if he is to break his Group race maiden.
Evergreen stayer Jarvis Bale continued his remarkable run of Group race finals when he registered the fastest heat win of the night, defeating Western Australian Countess Of Cork by 3.5 lengths in a slick 41.95.
The 31 month old will line up in his ninth Group race final of 2010, and will be attempting to emulate 2009 champion Mantra Lad's feat of following his National Distance Championship win with victory in the Sandown Cup. If successful, Jarvis Bale will give master trainer Graeme Bate his first Sandown Cup, one of the few feature races missing from the Lara trainer's CV.
Devon Meadows trained Darren McDonald, will be hoping his recent kennel additions Countess Of Cork and Reign Over Me can captialise on boxes one and eight respectively as he also aims for a maiden Sandown Cup victory.
Next Top Model will get a second chance at Sandown Cup glory after winning her heat in 42.28 over Best of Times.
The Jason Thompson trained brindle bitch ran fifth in the 2009 Sandown Cup at just her ninth race start and will now line up in her 11th Group race final.
Allen Zander took out a thrilling final heat in 42.15, defeating Symmetry and pre-post favourite Dashing Corsair.
Allen Zander is the youngest greyhound in the final, and set the time standard on the Lightwood Road circuit's new Burrumbeet sand surface when clocking 41.94 in late April. One of three sons of leading sire Surf Lorian to reach the final, Allen Zander was the subject of early activity in pre-post markets, however his chances of success in his first Group race final suffered a blow when he drew box four in the final. Just one Sandown Cup winner has worn the blue vest in the last 24 years.
A big night of racing is planned for Radio Sport 927 Sandown Cup final night on Thursday 13 May. Over $5000 in prizes are on offer in the Radio Sport 927 marquee, entry to which is free.
2010 Group 1 Sandown Cup Box Draw
- Box 1 – Countess Of Cork Darren McDonald
- Box 2 – Symmetry Robert Britton
- Box 3 – Jarvis Bale Graeme Bate
- Box 4 – Allen Zander Andrea Dailly
- Box 5 – Best Of Times Colin Dalton
- Box 6 – Satanic Cash Bob Isaacson
- Box 7 – Next Top Model Jason Thompson
- Box 8 – Reign Over Me Darren McDonald
- 1st Res – Dashing Corsair Dwyer Lennon
- 2nd Res – Nelly Bale Andrea Dailly