Rio Valiente strikes at best time in superb auction run

Jason Schmidt’s dog had finished third in his heat, second in his semi and continued to upward trend winning the $40,000 final.

Greyhound racing at Ipswich.

DOGWATCH

Isaac Murphy

RIO Valiente has saved his best for last in the Group Three Alan Price Memorial Auction Series.

Jason Schmidt's dog had finished third in his heat, second in his semi and continued to upward trend winning the $40,000 final in what proved to be dominant fashion last Saturday night.

Despite not winning his heat or semi, the powerful son of Zambora Brockie had shown punters enough that if he got the right run he'd be the dog finishing over the top of them.

When fellow favourites Double Return and Flying Jet came together at the first turn, Rio Valiente was there to strike.

The dog took a tiny gap on he first turn pulling to the extreme outside. Still midfield, he was a good five lengths off the top.

But once he balanced up with clear running down the back, there was only ever going to be one winner. He took over from Serena Lawrance's Head Bairn nearing the home turn and powered away by over four lengths.

He dog took his prize money from $16,000 to $56,000 in one swoop and looks to be just getting started with plenty of untapped potential at two years old and only 15 starts.

It was a wonderful night for the Schmidts with Craig taking out the Auction Consolation with Savitar.

The dog who does most of his racing over the 431 metres drove through to lead from box one and never let up scoring by a length to Pam Field's Misty Haze.

Connections pocketed another $7000 for the win, the money on offer a reminder to all trainers, breeders and prospective owners to get along to this year's Ipswich Puppy Auction on October 11 and in two years' time it could be them taking home the cash.

Bloomfield banks double over the dash

FRIDAY twilight racing at Ipswich are picking up more and more races over the track's shortest sprint trip the 288 metres.

Trainers like to use the one turn to educate their young dogs while banking wins at he same time.

That's exactly what Jason Bloomfield did last week with kennel mates Expat Kitty Hawk and Chase a Lot scoring a race-to-race double.

The uniquely named Expat Kitty Hawk was the first to put her name in the book, winning on debut in her maiden heat.

The progeny of Unlawful Entry and Veuve is only a slight bitch but after missing the kick half a length did everything right sticking to the fence for a comfortable win at just 22 months.

The bitch will have to do it the hard way in the maiden final from box eight. She looked desperate for the inside on debut.

It will be impressive to see if she can do it from wide on the track.

Thirty Talks (outside) wins at Albion Park.

Thirty Talks pup Chase a Lot was a more fancied prospect in his Novice coming off a 16.89 maiden win.

While he couldn't improve on his personal best, he did well to muser from the red driving through in 17.05.

The dog has spent all six of his starts at the 288 metres and never missed a place, no mean feat given one mistake can bring down your race.

It will be interesting to see if Bloomfield persists at the trip or entertains a 431 metre berth in the weeks to come.

One of the dog's Chase a Lot had finished behind over the short trip was Colin Curtis's Villa Lucky who didn't let favourite punters down in the last spearing across from box eight to score in a sizzling 16.80.

All of the dog's three wins from 17 starts have come at the trip.

While Curtis continues to work on his 431 metre racing where he finished a good second on Tuesday's card, he always has the option to drop back to the shorts where the dog can really fly.

Frog's Hollow making huge jumps for Wilson

VETERAN trainer Peter Wilson knew he had a good one in Frog's Hollow even before his first start in May.

The dog was trialling the house down when he came out and won his maiden in 24.99 over the 431 metres. It was affirmation for Wilson he was going to have plenty of fun with the speed star.

The dog most recently sparkled on the September 19 card exploding to the top from box four the win never in doubt as he put up seven lengths in 24.93.

It wasn't a breakout performance for the dog, more a continuation of form.

Since returning from a short spell last month, he has won three of his four starts breaking through in Grade Five company at Albion Park on Thursday night on the eve of his latest performance.

The dog has drawn the pole in his Fifth-Grade final today.

If recent runs are anything to judge by, he should be saluting again in some serious time.

Team Bowe find a good one

JUSTIN and Gerard Bowe are always on the look out for young talent in NSW and Victoria that can come to Queensland and excel.

They look like they've found another one with Get It Together winning her maiden last Saturday night with consummate ease.

The Barcia Bale product was second away from the four but drove through to lead and despite looking a bit green her first race start around Ipswich forged away to score in 25.16.

Get it Together's only other two race starts came under premier Victorian trainer Brendan Pursell over the 460 metres at Geelong. Two strong performances yielded a minor and a win.

The way the bitch ran on Saturday she looks like in time she'll cover more ground, but not yet two there is plenty of time for that, look for her to be breaking the 25 second mark as she gets used to Ipswich in the near future.

Another ex-Victorian turn Queenslander It's a Rush has been in the form of his life for the Bowe's winning the Bundaberg Derby a fortnight ago then following that performance with a flying 30.46 effort at Ipswich last Saturday night.

The dog has three wins and three minors in his past six starts the three wins all coming at different venues, Albion Park, Bundaberg and Ipswich in that order and has only missed the money once in his 16 starts with the kennel.

Frieda Las Vegas fancies step up in distance

IT all started for Tony Zammit and Frieda Las Vegas in the Vince Curry Series earlier this year.

The bitch was one of the favourites for the final after pinging the lids in the semis.

While it didn't work out for her that night, her body of work since has been nothing short of exceptional and she showed just how good she was in Saturday night's Fourth Grade 630 metres.

The bitch went on an amazing run after leaving Ipswich earlier this year developing a get back run on racing pattern at Albion Park that was her win the Easter Trophy and Winged Runner in a seven-start winning streak over the sprint trip.

Even though she was winning a step to the 600 metres was inevitable and a 34.65 debut in May had her on the way to super stardom, before a raft of outside boxes saw the first lean streak of her career.

The corner start and lack of early speed just weren't working but Zammit stuck to his guns as she continued to run eye catching races and when he saw a rare fourth Grade at Ipswich on a Saturday night he pounced and so did Frieda.

Drawn the red rug the race was all but over when she got around the first turn in front steaming away for a 37.4 win pleasing punters at her short quote.

She's out graded for most suitable races at Ipswich but clearly loves the place.

She's one worth following with Group success firmly in her sights.

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