Auckland Cup dogged by lead-up controversy
The 2020 Auckland Cup for greyhounds at group one level has been dogged by controversy.
Controversial owing to four of the five scheduled 527m heats for the $90,000 race being completed with a lure stoppage occurring in the second heat, which was then abandoned.
Controversial with heat winner Uthor Bale being scratched from the decider after a failing to pursue the lure penalty was imposed.
A change to the rules of greyhound racing made a number of years ago gives Greyhound Racing NZ discretion to who can be selected to go into a final field following an abandoned heat.
The perennial group one finalist Dyna Dave was the beneficiary in this case.
The decision is a sweet one for his trainer Craig Roberts, however there was a bitter twist for Roberts after Uthor Bale was subsequently stood down from racing after strongly winning his heat in 30.45s.
Roberts immediately appealed the stewards’ decision therefore his charge was entitled to be drawn into the cup field.
His appeal failed and Uthor Bale was immediately scratched.
Master trainer Ray Adcock, 85, produced his cup runner-up from last year, Ringside, to deliver his bold 30.32s heat win.
He looms as a serious winning chance in tomorrow’s decider.
Pinny Mack won the $125,000 New Zealand Cup in November and he has been sparingly raced since then.
It was a super training effort by Seve Clark to produce him fresh up for his 30.73s heat win.
But he’s likely to find a few quicker off the boxes and that will make things tougher for him in tomorrow’s big race in Manukau.
Based on box speed and the sectionals from the heats, Blazin’ Carter is drawn to feature for a long way and is the likely early leader.
It will be an ironic result if Dyna Dave can finally annex a group one title in his ninth crack at the elite level of racing.
Roberts also mentored Oster Bale to his 30.77s heat win.
Will there be another twist to this year’s cup saga tomorrow? Check it out at 3.46pm when commentator Peter Earley calls his 48th Auckland Cup.