Boom youngster and Sandown track record holder Bekim Bale continued his meteoric rise through the greyhound ranks with a stunning victory in the second Solo Melbourne Cup Prelude series at Sandown Park tonight.
Beginning moderately from box 3, the Andrea Dailly trained chaser soon found trouble and was worse than midfield through the first turn.
Bekim Bale showed tremendous field sense for a greyhound having just his fifth start to work his way through the field and finish over the top of Daintree Rocket in a slick 29.54 seconds. It was Bekim Bale’s fourth win of his young career, his only defeat coming at the hands of litter brother and kennel mate Heston Bale in then track record time.
Heston Bale wasn’t as lucky in the night’s second Prelude as Launchinator caused the upset of the night, defeating Smoke Home by one length at the massive odds of $35.10.
Heston Bale began only fairly from an awkward box and found early interference as Smoke Home railed through to lead Launchinator through the first turn.
Trained by Chris Johanssen in Devon Meadows, Launchinator enjoyed the run of the race, making his move approaching the home turn and racing to his third win in 12 attempts at the Lightwood Road circuit in 29.57 seconds.
The night’s fastest Prelude win went to No Justice, who overcame box five and an early bump to record an impressive 5.5 length win in 29.45 seconds. Peter Giles’s veteran boasted the fastest winning time of all runners in the race of 29.35 seconds, but was unloved in the betting having been sent the boxes at the luxury price of $8.70.
Dyna Kate took out the night’s final Prelude, avoiding trouble at the first turn and running down early leader Simply Charlie in 29.90 seconds and giving three time Solo Melbourne Cup winner Graeme Bate another runner in the 2011 heats.
All Solo Melbourne Cup Prelude winners have earned an automatic berth the Group 1 Solo Melbourne Cup heats at Sandown Park on Thursday 10 November, with the final – worth $200,000 to the winner – to be run the following week.
The third Solo Melbourne Cup Prelude will be run at Sandown Park on Thursday 20 October.
