Tonight sees another Quartet Happy Hour with four jackpots allocated to races at Sandown Park and Hobart only this week. The Happy Hour emphasis this week is well and truly on the heats of the Group 2 McKenna Memorial to be run over the 595m for the first time. The Happy Hour starts at 6.52pm and goes through until 7.55pm taking in three of the five McKenna heats.
MD6 – 6.52pm – Group 2 McKenna Memorial Heat #3 (595m) – $5,005
Est pool $30k
The class runner of the field is the multiple Group race finalist JARVIS BALE (7). He is better known recently over longer, but the 595m trip should also suit his running style. Expect him to be up there early battling for the lead and if he does find the front he will be almost impossible to run down. One of the few greyhounds with experience over this new start point is REGAL BLAZE (6). She ran a top race as expected last week when saluting from box 8 after returning from an Albion Park campaign where she competed well. Her current form suggests that she will be up there with the main chances as she has not missed a place for 11 starts. The other runner in the field that has been in stellar form is DOHTMANN (5). She has not missed a top 4 spot in her last 12 runs and has come under notice on a number of occasions. Despite a rise in class here, she is a must inclusion as a place anchor in this. The interesting runner of the field is the NSW visitor SMOOTH FANCY (4), who is rising in distance for the first time tonight. His times and wins at Wentworth Park are special, so if he can stay the last part of this trip he could be up there giving the likes of JARVIS BALE and REGAL BLAZE something to think about. On his 500m form he does look like he should find the extra distance with no worries. The rest of the field is even with perhaps the Qld greyhound BELAIR PRINCE (8) rating next best as he has shown excellent staying potential at home, but be a little wary of him as he is slow out and having his first run at the track.
Quartet selections (listed in order of preference)
Winners: REGAL BLAZE (6) & JARVIS BALE (7)
Each Way: SMOOTH FANCY (4)
Place Anchor: DOHTMANN (5)
Watch: BELAIR PRINCE (8)
MD7 – 7.11pm – Group 2 McKenna Memorial Heat #4 (595m) – $5,000
Est pool $30k
The freakish talents of OUTA CREDIT (1) will be on display here and consequently he will command most of the attention in this heat. He warmed up for this middle distance campaign with a dominant display at The Gardens over 600m where he won by 13.50 lengths at a very short quote. He would most probably prefer to be drawn off the track a little at his debut here as he does need a little room to wind up, but if he avoids any early crowding at the first turn the rest of these will be chasing tail for the rest of the race. The one greyhound that will be fancied to have a say about the anticipated dominance of OUTA CREDIT is SEEK AND DESTROY (7). He has been absolutely huge in winning his last 3 starts since stepping up in distance, including a slashing effort here in a jackpot race 2 weeks back. The only worry for him is the wide draw, but if he can stay out of significant early trouble he will be finishing the race off like a freight train. These two greyhounds are clearly the main players of this heat and will dominate the market percentage. The rest of the field look like they will be battling it out for the minor end of the quartet action. Perhaps WHERE’S WOMBY (5) rates next best if he can reproduce a run like he did 3 starts back, where he lead all of the way in a quick 34.16 over this trip. His last start placing behind REGAL BLAZE was also good enough to make him an inclusion for the minors. The rest of the field is fairly even with consistent type BARNIK BOY (3) and HEATHER’S TIGER (6), who is first up over the middle distance after a short injury break, looking the best of them. NELLY BALE (8) can be a little hard to catch, but don’t let her get under your guard either.
Quartet selections (listed in order of preference)
Winners: OUTA CREDIT (1) & SEEK AND DESTROY (7)
Best Place Chance: WHERE’S WOMBY (5)
Minor Place Chances: BARNIK BOY (3), HEATHER’S TIGER (6) & NELLY BALE (8)
MD7 – The Best of the “Happy Hour” Jackpots
Skinny Quartet Option
Last week’s collect: Nil
1,7 – 1,7 – 3,5,6,8 – 3,5,6,8 $60 for 250%
Wide Quartet Option
Last week’s collect: Nil
1,7 – 1,5,7 – Field – Field $60 for 50%
OD7 – 7.44pm – Invitation (461m) – $5,004
Est pool $25k
The next Happy Hour jackpot is on a cracker of a 461m Invitation at Hobart for a change of pace from the middle distance heats at Sandown. Whilst there may be only 2 or 3 winning hopes in those heats, this field has at least 4 of them. HIGH CHOICE (1) is one of the winning chances after he continued his consistent form with a strong-finishing second after being outpaced early in last week’s jackpot race. There’ll be a few in front of her again here, but she is too consistent to leave out of winning calculations. Evergreen chaser AKKA BOY (3) continues to chase in career-best form at Hobart and Devonport with wins at 3 of his last 5 starts and he is a must inclusion again here with his record of 8 wins and 9 seconds from 27 starts here. SULTAN’S SWING (5) pinched too much of a break on HIGH CHOICE in the jackpot race last week and managed to hold her off in the run home. That brought up a well deserved victory for her after a string of seconds. She’ll be right in this again, and the early speed battle with AKKA BOY (3) and the speedy EAGLE EYE (6) on her outside will be interesting. EAGLE EYE does have some work to do to cross the pace inside though. If they cut each other up, a strong finisher like HIGH CHOICE will come into play from the rails draw. BEIJING BOND (9 from 7) now gets a start with the scratching of the 7 and 8. He won his last 2 starts in much easier company within a couple of days last week and rates as the best of the rest. This looks a flexi race for quartet players for sure and certain.
Quartet selections (listed in order of preference)
Winners: HIGH CHOICE (1), AKKA BOY (3) & SULTAN’S SWING (5)
Each Way: EAGLE EYE (6)
Watch: BEIJING BOND (9)
MD9 – 7.55pm – Group 2 McKenna Memorial Heat #5 (595m) – $5,000
Est pool $30k
The very classy FLASH OF LIGHT (5) continues her Group Race campaign here and she looks extremely suited to this 595m trip at Sandown. She won easily in a quick 34.12 at her only try here in mid-May and with her early speed she will have every chance to dominate this heat from the front and really give the rest of the field something to chase. The WA-owned KAY SIZE (7), who has been a revelation at Cannington over the 642m, rugs up for his first run for new trainer Jason Thompson. He should be able to land somewhere in the front half of the field and if he displays his usual mid-race speed, he is smart enough to be finishing in the top two. The enigmatic chaser PHILBY (3) is clearly the next best in this heat. He should be sitting reasonably close early on and will be finishing this trip off strongly again, hence is a must inclusion high up in quartet calculations. Again the rest of the field is very open behind the main fancies and playing the back end of the quartet as wide as possible is the way to go. ATOMIC VOODOO (2) is a pacy type drawn well and he rates as a solid place hope should he be able to lead as he has done at 3 of his last 4 starts. The consistent SLIPAWAY MISTY (4) and the speedy ARROGANCE (6) are the better place hopes in a race where punters should play wide for the minor end of quartets.
Quartet selections (listed in order of preference)
Winners: FLASH OF LIGHT (5) & KAY SIZE (7)
Each Way: PHILBY (3)
Best Place Chances: ATOMIC VOODOO (2), SLIPAWAY MISTY (4) & ARROGANCE (6)
Play the Field for Fourth