Three times unlucky for local greyhound trainer in big maiden final

Local trainer Reg Gardoll qualified three dogs for this week’s Clarence Valley Sheds Maiden, but drew an “upside-down” draw that could leave him empty handed

Sophie Zarr Wren wins for Reg Gardoll in the second heat of the Clarence Valley Sheds Maiden at Grafton Greyhounds

Local trainer Reg Gardoll won heats of Grafton’s time-honoured Clarence Valley Sheds Maiden with his three entries but believes an “upside down box draw’’ could mean he goes home empty-handed after Wednesday night’s $20,000 to the winner final.

Gardoll’s Colonel Trigger is fastest qualifier for the 450m final, running his rivals off their legs in a 25.28 heat win, while kennelmates Sophie Zarr Wren and Daley Magic won in 25.30 and 25.64.

“Sophie Zarr Wren relished having box eight in her heat, so I wanted her out wide in the final, but she has drawn box two,’’ he said.

“I just hope she doesn’t interfere with Colonel Trigger, who has box four, although his first split of 9.02 was quickest of the eight heats.

“So long as he comes out as fast as he did when he won his heat from box two he should be able to get around her.

“Before the heats Sophie Zarr Wren had not been in a full field so she raced above herself to win, although Colonel Trigger is a length to a length-and-a-half faster.

“My other finalist, Daley Magic, is around a length slower again.’’

It's three in the final for trainer Reg Gardoll as he holds Daley Magic, winner of the fifth heat of Clarence Valley Sheds Maiden at Grafton Greyhounds

Two other trainers, the Hunter Valley’s Jason Mackay and Queenslander Ned Snow, each won two heats, so three trainers will provide seven of the eight finalists.

Mackay agrees the box draw has thrown the race open, but gives Zipping Maserati a chance from box three.

The previously unraced Zipping Maserati and litter sister Zipping Eve, who won their heats in 25.42 and 25.44, have drawn boxes three and five in the final.

“Zipping Maserati likes to push up along the rails, so he has a chance, but Zipping Eve will find it hard from her draw,’’ Mackay said.

“My pair are real learners but while I’m not confident, Zipping Maserati could win.’’

Happiest are rookie trainer Wayne Clarson, whose slowest heat winner Smooth Heaven, has box one, and 75-year-old Snow, whose heat winners Blue Carat and San Polo have drawn seven and eight.

Clarson, proprietor of a Northern Rivers pest control business, said: “My father, John, gave me my first greyhound, Kulu Karma, and she won seven races in 2014 and 2015 before breaking down.

“I then mated her with Smooth Fancy and she had a litter of 13 puppies, including Smooth Heaven.

“She surprised me when she led all the way to win her heat from box two because I thought her litter brother, Smooth Bundy, who was unplaced in heat two, had been my better chance.

“Although her heat time was 25.69, Smooth Heaven’s first section was a slick 9.05, so if she gets out in front and there is a bit of traffic behind her, she might ‘pinch’ the race.

“I’m confident she will get to the line more strongly as she had only had two 350m trials, so had been tackling 450m for the first time.’’

1 – Mr Maisey leads the field in Race 12 Ken Casson Motors4th/5th Grade 350m at Grafton Greyhounds

Snow, a trainer for almost 50 years, was formerly based in Cairns but now has kennels at Cornubia, 28km from Brisbane.

“Ideally San Polo would have drawn inside his kennelmate Blue Carat, but I’m satisfied seeing them in boxes eight and seven, so long as he doesn’t knock her down when they jump,’’ Snow said.

“Blue Carat, who won her heat in 25.33, has the better run home time but San Polo, who led all the way to win his heat in 25.51, is a reliable beginner.

“San Polo is a good box dog and after watching last week’s 12-race card at Grafton it seems you need to be up near the early lead to win.

“San Polo should be improved by his heat run because he had split a food before this series began and I could not work him properly before the heats.’’

Sprinter has more than a casual glance at final

No greyhound is more deserving of a bigrace win than Casual Glance and the Michelle Lill-trained greyhound looks set to break through when he lines up in Wednesday night’s Village Green Hotel Sprinters Cup final at Grafton.

Casual Glance has been plagued by horror box draws in each of five finals but Lill’s husband Mick said: “Box two in this race looks perfect. Casual Glance has made the finals of the Gosford, Maitland and Brother Fox Dubbo Cups, along with the Bob Payne Sprint and the GRNSW Country Challenge, so I’m hoping it will be sixth time lucky at Grafton.

“His litter brother and kennelmate More Sauce has box three and we think he might ‘run cover’ for Casual Glance.

“More Sauce goes very fast early but when he leaves the starting boxes he usually takes two or three steps to the right and after that he runs in a straight line.

“As far as race dogs are concerned, Casual Glance is the ultimate professional.

The flying Casual Glance winning at The Gardens in June last year. Photo Steve Whalland.

“He drew box eight in his Grafton Cup heat win last Wednesday and had to work hard to get across to the rails.

“Despite that, he came away to win by six lengths, covering the 450m in 25.26, fastest of the six heats.

“We only threw Casual Glance into this race when the Country Challenge was cancelled due to the abandonment of last week’s Wentworth Park meeting.”

$20,000-to-the-winner Village Green Cup box draw:

1 Deck Fifty Two, 2 Casual Glance, 3 More Sauce, 4 Talking Country, 5 Impress Shades, 6 Louis Rumble, 7 Pearson, 8 Supreme Stream. Reserves: 9 Squiggle Keeping, 10 Tyanna Belle.

Clarence Valley Sheds Maiden final box draw:

1 Smooth Heaven 2 Sophie Zarr Wren 3 Zipping Maserati 4 Colonel Trigger 5 Zipping Eve 6 Daley Magic 7 Blue Carat 8 San Polo. Reserves: 9 Kid Tyson 10 Nangar Blossom