VICTORIAN DASHER RUNS HOT
VICTORIAN raider Fernando Mick is likely to start a warm favourite to win next week’s $150,000 Ladbrokes Group 1 Hobart Thousand final after demolishing his rivals in a heat at Elwick on Thursday night.
The recent Melbourne Cup runner-up began well from box three and once on the lure he sped clear and went on to record an effortless win by three lengths from another interstate invader Who Told Shorty with Do It over two lengths astern.
The David Geall-trained dog has been in sparkling form in his home state and brought his A-game to the Thousand heat over 461 metres and will only be improved by the outing as it was his first look at the track. He stopped the clock at 25.63 which was clearly the fastest of the seven heat winners.
“We don’t usually bring dogs over on the day of a heat of big races but we did this time and he has gone enormous,” Geall said. “The dog has been racing in great form and he has kept it up tonight. Winning a Hobart Thousand would be a fantastic way to finish off the year that has been great for this dog.”
Star Tasmanian Rojo Diamond kept his chances of picking u9p a $100,000 Triple Treat bonus by making it into the final with a resounding win in his heat in a time of 25.81.
The $100,000 bonus was offered by Ladbrokes for any dog that can win the Devonport Chase, Hobart Thousand and Launceston Cup and the Robin Grubb-trained dog has already won the Chase.
Another invader Paua of Buddy, from the Steve Bruce White kennel in Victoria’s West Gippsland region, showed he will be a force in the final by powering his way to an impressive four-length win in his heat clocking a time of 25.73. The Deb Cannan-trained Isurava breezed into the final with a resounding win in his heat.
The former Queenslander began well from box eight and after a stoush with Aston Virago (6) and Buckle Up Elise ($) the red-fawn dog forged clear and went on to defeat Buckle Up Elise by almost four lengths with Aston Virago over a length away third. Nyah Nyah Flyer caused a boilover in his heat coming from near last turning for home to swamp the leaders as one of the bolters ($27) for Invermay trainer Eileen Thomas.
The blue dog, a winner of 11 from 28 starts, arrived in the state from Victoria early last month and had two starts prior to winning his heat on Thursday night but didn’t show anywhere near what he showed to win his way through to the Group 1 final.
He weaved a path through the field and finished at the rate of knots to grab Manilla Prince and Mobile Legend in the shadows of the post.
Victorian Jebediah ($22) was another outsider to make it to the final, holding on to defeat West Australia entry Vice Grip by a half-head.
They both began well with Jebediah taking control at the top turn but when Vice Grip switched to the inside in the home straight, he looked set to run past the leader but the David Burnett-trained son of Barcia Bale refused to wilt and kicked back to win in a head-bobbing finish.
Vice Grip was game in defeat and was rewarded by making the final.
Legendary Tasmanian trainer Ted Medhurst will be trying to win his second Hobart Thousand courtesy of Rip Away that proved too strong for the opposition in his heat.
The official box draw for the final will be held at the Hobart Thousand and Hall of fame dinner in Hobart on Saturday night.