Caishen blitzes Cup field
TALENTED greyhound Caishen warmed up for the heats of the Australian Cup at the Meadows this weekend with an emphatic win in the Group 2 Ladbrokes Launceston Cup at Mowbray on Monday night.
The interstate invader from the in-form Anthony Azzopardi kennel made light of box eight to easily cross the field before reaching the first turn and from there it was a procession as he powered his way to a 4½-length win over local stars Twisted Reality and Connected.
Caishen was heavily backed to start the $1.75 favourite and once the son of
Fernando Bale-Ready Riot found the front the end result was never in doubt as he hit the line well clear and stopped the clock at 29.79 over the 515m trip.
Azzopardi wasn’t at the meeting but kennel representative Neil Jones said the dog would return to Melbourne to prepare for his heat of the Group 1 Australian Cup at The Meadows on Saturday night.
“The owners, Matt and Charlie Riccio, suggested to Anthony [Azzopardi] a few weeks back that this race would be an ideal lead-up to the Australian Cup series and it’s all worked as we planned,” Jones said.
“He is a very good dog and he proved that tonight.”
Azzopardi has a small but brilliant team in work and his 2020 strike rate is outstanding with the kennel boasting 20 wins and 13 minor placings from 53 starters for about $310,000 in stakes. The kennel has strong representation in Saturday night’s Australian Cup heats with Caishen joined by his Group 1-winning litter brother Whisky Riot that won the Temlee at The Meadows last Saturday night and that follows his Group 1 Melbourne Cup win last November.
The race was marred by the interference suffered by popular Tasmanian sprinter Nitro Sambar that fell approaching the first turn.