Flying Minardi surges into Cup conversation
UNDERRATED greyhound Fast Minardi emerged as a genuine winning chance on Saturday night’s Group 2 Launceston Cup when he powered home at the rate of knots to win his heat on Monday night.
The Paul Hili-trained dog has played second-fiddle to most of the state’s best in feature races but the form he promised to display surfaced in his cup heat.
Hobart Thousand winner Fernando Mick from Victoria and Tasmania’s fastest dog Nail’em Fencer were expected to fight out the finish and when they turned together into the home straight four that looked to be the race.
Fast Minardi settled fifth and improved gradually down the back but was still four lengths off the leaders straightening up, but the son of Fernando Bale-Cheeky Vixen unleashed a powerful finishing burst that saw him claim the lead and win by close to a half-length.
“We have always believed in this dog’s ability but he just hasn’t got any early tactical speed and that is probably going to find him out more often than not in races over 500m but when he gets out in distance (600m plus) that’s when he will really excel,”
said trainer Paul Hili. “He did an enormous job to run down two great dogs from where he was in the run.
“But that’s what he’s capable of if he gets clear racing room when he needs it.”
The fastest of the seven heat winners was the Ben Englund-trained Wynburn Ruby that stopped the clock over the 515-metre trip at 29.34 seconds which was many lengths better than the next best time of 29.57s set by Victorian visitor Elite Alex from Mark Delbridge’s kennel at Balliang.
Wynburn Ruby flew the lids from box two and was low flying on her way to a fivelength win over Ailee Bee and her sectionals were clearly the best of the heat winners.
Rojo Diamond ($2.80 fav) from the Robin Grubb kennel and one of the favourites to be voted 2022 greyhound of the year, won his heat in a time of 29.80s leading throughout to defeat Dewana Milo.
The box draw makes for a keen betting race with Wynburn Ruby likely to start the favourite from box one but Elite Alex has drawn alongside in two and it could be a battle royal to the first turn.
Whichever holds the rail down the back could be the one to beat but if Rojo Diamond and Fast Minardi are within striking distance turning for home, it promises to be a great finish.
Last year’s winner Hilltop Jack is the first reserve and
Nail’em Fencer will have to rely on two scratching to gain a start as he is the second reserve backed on finishing times. The seven heat winners progressed to the final along with the fastest second and that honour went to Mark Delbridge’s Ailee Bale.