A $600 purchase turned into a $5280 return for trainer Tony Duncan after Dashing Dino scored a upset in the first race at Sandown Park tonight.
• She Will Bloom set to blossom
• Judges can’t split them
Duncan purchased the greyhound from former trainer Jess Fothergill just 10 days ago, and in his first start in his new kennel he not only faced the stiffest competition of his 61 start career, but repaid his purchase price almost nine times over.
“I can’t believe it, I just can’t believe it,” he said after Dashing Dino won for the first time in over a year.
“When he came off the back I said to the boys, ‘I’m going to win this!’ He’s usually pretty bad in the boxes, but he came out with them and got a good run through.”
Dashing Dino touched $101 with TAB fixed odds before starting at $81. Duncan didn’t give his charge much chance and didn’t back him.
“I haven’t really done anything with him. I was coming here with All In Baz (who ran second in the fourth race) and thought he may as well come with me.”
It was Dashing Dino’s fourth career win and first in over a year, and took his career prize money to $12,555.
Dashing Dino wins in town for new trainer Tony Duncan
She Will Bloom set to blossom
Brendan Pursell has unearthed another potential stayer with She Will Bloom winning in impressive fashion at Sandown Park tonight.
Sent to the boxes a $1.60 chance after an impressive 34.16 win on her 595m debut on Sunday, She Will Bloom gave favourite backers no cause for concern, spearing the lid to lead all of the way and score in 34.09.
She Will Bloom has now won six of her last seven starts and Pursell believes she has a future over the ‘half mile’.
“She went well here on Sunday, 34.16 and I’d say the track isn’t particularly quick,” he said.
“That was her first 600, and she’s very strong so I think she’ll get 700. We’ll probably take her to the Meadows in a fortnight (for heats over 600m) then try her over 700m I reckon.”
She Will Bloom (1) is dominant in her second start over the middle distance
Judges couldn’t split them
The judges couldn’t split Mepunga Prue and Dealer Wins in race 11, declaring the race a dead heat.
Mepunga Prue began well to camp behind early leader Winsome Express while Dealer Wins was only fairly away but crossed to the rail to settle third. Mepunga Prue assumed the lead off the back straight and was stalked by Dealer Wins which wound up down the middle of the track with the pair hitting the line together in 29.630.
It was the third dead heat in 12 months at Sandown Park and first since Waleonjon and Myrniong Corner couldn’t be separated on 8 November 2018. There has been 32 dead heats at Sandown Park since the track was rebuilt in 1995.
Mepunga Prue (4) and Dealer Wins (7) dead heat
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