Brad Greenough was lost for words after his exciting chaser Often Imitated booked her place in the heats of the TAB Melbourne Cup following her Prelude victory at Sandown Park last night.
• Miss Splendamiro wins on debut for Geall
• Black Opium now undefeated in 5
The night before her second birthday, Often Imitated was backed into favouritism late and despite only stepping fairly at box rise, railed brilliantly to record her seventh career victory in 29.40 – the fastest of the Prelude wins.
Greenough, the grandson of leading conditioners Kel and Jackie Greenough, took out his trainers license just six months ago and registered a win with his first starter. Less than six months later, the 20 year old will put the polish on his first TAB Melbourne Cup heat runner. The gravity of the achievement hadn’t fully struck immediately following Often Imitated’s win.
“The Melbourne Cup heats – it sounds funny to say that really doesn’t it?” he said.
“It’s an overwhelming feeling of achievement. I know it’s only a heat, but it’s a Melbourne Cup heat. It’s something I never though could happen so early in my career.”
Often Imitated has developed an affinity for Sandown Park – six of her wins have come at the circuit – and encouragingly Greenough believes that there is still improvement to come from his Cup prospect.
“When we had her early days we brought her here a lot and that really got her used to the is track, and obviously you want your dogs running well at Sandown so it helps.
“She looked like she came out OK but it’s not the best she can get out. On a nice warm night I think she could down to 29.3 hopefully. If she can do that you can win big races. It’s just a matter of her early race, if she can come out early she’s usually a chance.”
Often Imitated (1) gives 20 year old Brad Greenough his first TAB Melbourne Cup heat runner
Miss Splendamiro wins on debut for Geall
Star New South Wales sprinter Miss Splendamiro also booked her ticket to the TAB Melbourne Cup heats after winning her Prelude by 3½ lengths in 29.46. It was her first start for new trainer David Geall after being transferred to his Lara kennel for a tilt at the Melbourne Cup.
A well supported favourite, Miss Splendamiro was forced to work her way around the field after drawing box 8 and did so impressively to win by 3½ lengths in 29.46.
“She was sent down to us in really good condition, very fit, very muscly. I know how good she was because I’ve raced against her a fair bit,” said Geall.
“We expected her to go well, she had to because she is really, really fast. It is a relief that she’s gone well I can tell you.”
Geall will have a three pronged attack on the world’s greatest greyhound race with Up Hill Jill and My Redeemer set to join Miss Splendamiro in the TAB Melbourne Cup heats on Friday 16 November.
Other greyhounds to book their place on heats night were Vens Revenge (29.60), Dyna Oscar (29.51) and She’s Gifted (29.48).
Miss Splendamiro (8) wins on her debut for David Geall
Black Opium now undefeated in 5
Earlier in the night Black Opium maintained her unbeaten start to her career with another impressive victory.
The daughter of TAB Melbourne Cup winner Black Magic Opal showed brilliant acceleration to charge through the first turn and race away from her rivals to score by 3¾ lengths in 29.46. It was her fifth win in as many starts with an average winning margin of eight lengths.
Unsurprisingly, trainer Seona Thompson is excited for what lays ahead.
“She’s something pretty special,” she said afterwards.
“She’s just a baby. This is all fun for her, she has absolutely no idea what’s going on she just turns up at the track and she’s just got a heap of ability that’s getting her there at the moment.”
Black Opium made her debut in a heat of the Vic Breeders series at Bendigo in September and has already amassed over $26,000 in prize money. That she has made such an impact on the track despite being just 19 months of age has come as no surprise to Thompson.
“We trained her mum (Captivating) and dad (Black Magic Opal) so we thought there could be something special in the litter. She broke in very well, pretrained very well – she has shown everything from day one.
“She’s pretty easy to train, she just does her own thing. We gave her a few trials before her first start at Bendigo and she showed plenty in them. We actually fluked getting in to the Bendigo series – she turned 18 months on the day of the heats so she only just made it in, I guess it was just meant to be. It’s exciting to have another good one for (owners) Bill and Serge Buccilli.”
While a tilt at the TAB Melbourne Cup would be a huge ask for a young greyhound with limited experience, such a campaign would not be without precedent. Indeed, in 2006 Run’s House (trained by Seona’s husband Jason) also went through the Bendigo Vic Breeders maiden series before qualifying for the TAB Melbourne Cup and lining up in the final of the world’s greatest greyhound race at just 20 months of age and at career start number 8. To qualify, Black Opium would need to contest the final TAB Melbourne Cup Prelude series on Thursday 8 November, and if she was to make the final, would also be lining up for her 8th career start at 20 months of age.
“Obviously we’ll see how she how she pulls up after tonight. It’s a pretty big effort for a baby, but I’m not going to say she’s not going to be here in a few weeks.”
Black Opium (4) makes it 5 wins from 5 starts
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