GREYHOUND OWNER HAS HOPES RIDING ON A FLYER IN CAIRNS CUP
Industry veteran Paddy Baird is chasing his maiden Cairns Cup crown
PADDY Baird is hoping Goldenpaw Flyer can be the greyhound to give him his first Cairns Cup crown tonight.
Baird has been in the greyhound game for almost 30 years and owned as many as eight dogs just over a year ago but just has the in-form Gold- enpaw Flyer under his watch now.
Trained by George Tsakissiris, Goldenpaw Flyer, held on from box two to win by ¾ of a length in the second fastest heat time of 32.25 last Tuesday night to qualify for the Cup.
He will jump in the black rug tonight in the Cairns Cup at 9.42pm over 544 metres.
The former Victorian chaser will have its third start in the Far North tonight and Baird is confident he will run a bold race.
“Luck will play a big part in it,” Baird said. “If this rain keeps up, I am not sure, but hopefully it fines up. George is happy with the dog.”
This will be the owner’s second leading contender in a Cairns Cup after Briajohn won a heat for the Cup almost 12 years ago and went on to run fourth.
There are quite a few chances in this final tonight at Cannon Park with Asa El Chappo for Michael Hickmott, beginning only fairly from box five last week, he was able to accelerate quickly to go around the field giving nothing else a chance once he got to the front skipping away to a 5.5 length victory in the fastest heat time of 32.23.
Asa El Chappo has drawn well to run another great race tonight.
Asa Extreme, trained by Hickmott, blitzed the classy field by more than 10 lengths to claim the 2016 cup.
The first of nine races jumps from 7.11pm.