Buckle Up Rose bolts to state final triumph

ONE of Tasmania’s most improved greyhounds Buckle Up Rose delivered a near careerbest performance to win the state final of the Crocmedia Sprint Championship in Launceston last night to make her way into the national final in a fortnight.

Buckle Up Rose overcame a slow start and interference twice in the race over 515m to forge clear in the home straight and defeat the Butch Deverell-trained pair Apollo Blue and Dooper.

The Gary Johnson-trained bitch was running around in grade-five events four months ago, but going into last night’s state final she had won five of her previous six starts.

Buckle Up Rose began fairly from box two to settle fourth at the first turn, but down the back she made her move and when the field entered the home straight she pounced and went on to win by almost five lengths.

The Butch Deverell-trained Wynburn Lucifer booked his berth in the National Distance final with a resounding win in a farcically run state final over 720m.

Wynburn Lucifer ($7.50) settled sixth and at one stage spotted the leader Eketahuna, while the odds-on favourite Vrontios ($1.50) was fourth early but dropped out to near the rear at the post the first time.

Approaching the home turn the leader Country Shadow appeared to stop chasing momentarily, causing the trailers to bunch into a traffic jam with Wynburn Lucifer missing all the interference.

Wynburn Lucifer went on to score by two lengths from Vrontios, which ran home late, with the reserve Times a Bonus third.

The National Sprint (515m) and Distance (715m) finals will be held at Sandown Park in Victoria in a fortnight. STAR Tasmanian pup Peco Can will be out to keep her unbeaten record on the Hobart track intact when she steps out in the Young Star Classic final over 461m in Hobart on Monday night.

Peco Can is unbeaten from five starts on the Hobart circuit, with her latest effort a convincing win from box four in a heat of the Young Star Classic last Monday night.

The Robin Grubb-trained bitch has drawn box five in the final, but she would only need to avoid trouble to the top turn to take the title.

Peco Can has been beaten only once in eight starts.