They say good things come to those who wait and Peter Akathiotis is hoping that will ring true with his veteran sprinter Nockabout Aussie in Thursday night’s $145,000 Group 1 Harrison-Dawson (515m) at Sandown Park.
Nockabout Aussie, which will turn four in July, is chasing an unlikely Group breakthrough at start number 83 in the $100,000 to-the-winner Harrison-Dawson.
However he’s the $35 outsider in the TAB’s Fixed Odds market dominated by the freakish Fernando Bale, which is set to start one of the shortest priced Group 1 favourites ever after becoming only the second sprinter to break 29 seconds at Sandown when winning his heat in a jaw-dropping 28.98sec.
Nockabout Aussie qualified for his first Group 1 decider when finishing second in his heat to another ‘Bale’ – Steve Collins’ Caustic Bale – and owner/trainer Peter Akathiotis is doing a rain dance, hoping forecast wet weather might bring the long odds-on favourite back to the field.
“It’ll be very tough from the pink and Fernando Bale is absolutely airborne at the moment,” Akathiotis conceded.
“I’m hoping for a downpour and a very wet track that might slow Fernando Bale down a bit for the rest of us!
“I’m hoping for a downpour and a very wet track that might slow Fernando Bale down a bit for the rest of us!
“Nockabout Aussie is three years and nine months old now so he’s coming towards the end of his career. When he was a pup he trialled 29.20 at Sandown and he’s run 29.40 there basically coming from last, but he’s probably past his best and you’ve got to be realistic.
“I don’t think he can win the race but he’s done well to make it.”
Akathiotis has been training since 1977 and he’s a rare breed in modern times, being based in suburban Reservoir.
He’s no stranger to Group 1 glory, having won the 1992 Melbourne Cup with Master Giant, with all his greyhounds descending from Master Giant’s sister Aussie Sunrise.
Akathiotis’ involvement in Thursday night’s hugely anticipated Sandown meeting doesn’t end with the Harrison-Dawson as he’ll also have two runners in the heats of the Group 1 RSN Sandown Cup.
Nockabout Aussie’s litter brother Blue Giant will make his ‘700’ debut in the first of four heats of Australia’s richest staying event, having won two of his last three over 595m at Sandown, while Hala Belle will tackle defending champion Sweet It Is in the third run-off.
“Blue Giant missed about 12 months racing with a cracked pelvis but he’s going pretty well at the moment,” Akathiotis said.
“I reckon there’s a very good chance he can lead and then it will come down to whether he gets the 715m or not. You never know until you try them so we’ll see what happens.
“When Nockabout Aussie and Blue Giant were young I thought with a bit of luck they might be able to win a Group 1 or a Group 2. They’ve both gone close, with Blue Giant running second in the Ballarat Cup and Nockaout Aussie running third in the Geelong Cup, but not close enough unfortunately!”
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*The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of GRV
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Watch: Nockabout Aussie (1) runs second to Caustic Bale in a Harrison-Dawson heat last week.
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Pictured top: Nockabout Aussie with trainer Peter Akathiotis. Pic Clint Anderson.
