Minor a major Plate chance
DON’T discount Maurice Minor’s chances of winning the July Plate final from box six at the Winnellie Park greyhounds tonight.
Brian Kelleher is looking after Queensland trainer Tom Tzouvelis’ star two-year-old and was instantly impressed with his first run in Darwin in the second Plate heat last Sunday.
Maurice Minor ran a winning time of 31.84 seconds over 537m. Kennelmate Del Rey went even better, taking out the third heat in 31.80 seconds.
Del Rey has box two, but Kelleher believes Maurice Minor – who has recorded three wins in Ipswich – is the one to beat in the $3650 feature race six.
“I’ve always had a high opinion of him – he’s a nice pup,” Kelleher said. “The Darwin Cup is the aim.”
Kelleher also loves looking after Del Rey, who has two wins and a second from her three starts in the Top End.
“She’s a nice bitch and she’s staying here. She’ll be lovely up here in Darwin,” he said.
The Darwin Greyhound Association’s leading trainer so far this year, Russell Savige, saw Har win the first July Plate heat in 32.18 seconds. The three-year-old will have the benefit of starting from box one tonight.
“He’s a pretty consistent dog – a good honest chaser,” Savige said. “I’ve had him for two months since Graeme Scott left with health problems. That dog’s been running well.”
Meanwhile, the speedy Klondike Kate deserves to break through for her first win since December 18, and she looks a good chance for Joel Vansleve in race one.
Graeme Ferns has a strong chance in race two with Hawk Glide.
Both Booberry (Vansleve) and Tate’s Ransom for Greg Milne return after breaks and can run bold races while fresh in race three.
Jamie Hosking looks to have Summer Chant back to near her best form and she will take holding out in race four.
Rob Brown will be hoping Yorgi Road can reproduce her best form which would make her competitive in race five.
Gossip Park (Peter Donnolley) did not get much luck last week so can improve quickly, while Out There Jerry and Bombay Rock for Andrew Lasker will provide stiff opposition in race seven.
Tzouvelis will be heading Soft Sand towards the Darwin Cup, so he would be expecting her to make light work of the race-eight field, particularly from box one.