Boom Sydney chaser Punch One Out set Sandown Park alight tonight, sensationally winning her heat of the Macro Meats Sapphire Crown.
Beginning fairly from box 8, the series favourite enjoyed a trouble free run around the first turn, settling behind early leader Desalle Bale before unleashing a devastating burst down the back. The dual track record holder made amends for her defeat at her Sandown Park debut the week prior by powering away to win by 4.5 lengths in the best of night time of 29.32 seconds.
And in an ominous sign for rivals in next Thursday night’s final, trainer Jason Mackay believes she can go faster.
“She still hasn’t worked out the different boxes here in Victoria, but I think she’s starting to work it out,” said Mackay.
“She was too good once she circled Desalle Bale, but she’s better than what the times said.”
After drawing the cherished red box for the final, Punch One Out is likely to start a short favourite for next Thursday’s final.
Sometimes Speedy and Tricky Jade made the night extra special for Mackay, both chasers overcoming adversity to join their kennel mate in the $145,000 feature by running second in their respective heats.
“Sometime Speedy came out well and chased her heart out. She basically didn’t have a run last week after she got knocked around and getting injured. She responded well during the week and will be better for the run.
“Tricky Jade has so much ability but you can’t buy experience. The box didn’t really suit, it was only her eighth start and her first start against that quality of opposition. She’ll also get a lot from that run.”
The run of the night belonged to Graeme Bate’s exciting youngster Xylia Allen. The Launceston Cup winner unleashing a breath taking finishing burst to win her heat by an ever widening 5.25 lengths in 29.51.
“We’ve always known how strong she is at the end of her races,” said kennel representative Joe Briffa.
“She started OK before pushing off the rail and causing a bit of trouble, but once she opened up down the back it was just fantastic to watch.”
Joining Xylia Allen in the final is kennel mates Desalle Bale, runner up to Punch One Out, and Orthia Bale which finished second to Evie’s Entity.
Trained by Lyn Smith and part owned by James Van de Maat, Evie’s Entity won her fourth consecutive start to give the young race caller and the greyhound’s large ownership and supporter’s group their biggest thrill in greyhound racing.
“It’s the best feeling you could possibly have,” said Van de Maat.
“She’s been trialling really well but to handle herself the way she did from box 4 was really impressive. We have a team of 30 or 40 here tonight and that number might grow next week!”
Aiming to claim yet another feature event is Jason Thompson, whose veteran El Brooklyn reached her second consecutive Macro Meats Sapphire Crown final by leading all the way to win in 29.53.
The well travelled white and blue chaser will line up in her 10th Group final on Thursday, and Thompson believes she is racing as well as she when she made the final of this race a year ago.
“She came into last year’s final on the back of her Warrnambool Cup win and had a similar preparation this time in.
“She actually has a great record at both city tracks, she just hasn’t raced a whole lot in town. I’m just wrapped for her that she’s in the final.”
The $145,000 Group 1 Macro Meats Sapphire Crown is the richest bitches only race in the country, and is run in conjunction with the $145,000 Group 2 Harrison-Dawson for male greyhounds.
The final of both finals will be run on Thursday 16 May and will coincide with the heats of Australia’s richest race for stayers, the Group 1 RSN Sandown Cup.
