Vassallo finds his Mojo
Wayne has Alotta reasons to get excited
Alotta Mojo raced into favouritism for the $72,500 Group 1 hawkinsmedia.com.au
Laurels Classic after recording the fastest semi final win at Sandown Park tonight.
On a slow track, Alotta Mojo ($3.30F) began quickly from box 5 and was never
threatened, leading all the way to win by 3.25 lengths over Special Sign in a best of night
30.17.
Trainer Wayne Vassallo, who won the 2006 Laurels Classic with multiple Group race
winner Pure Burst, strengthened his chances of a second Laurels victory when Alotta Mojo drew the
cherished inside box.
Hybrid Theory gave young trainer Chris Darmanin his first Group 1 finalist when she
railed through the first turn to win her semi final in 30.24. Hybrid Theory ($1.80) held off a fast
finishing Who Told Helen ($14.40) by 2.5 lengths.
Bunyip trainer Paul Anderton’s exciting bitch Hot Puzzle led all the way to win her
heat in 30.23. Beginning brilliantly from box 8, Hot Puzzle ($2.90F) crossed the field to lead
clearly through the first run and raced away to win by 3.75 lengths in 30.23. Summer Grace ($6.50)
battled on strongly to finish second.
In the final semi of the night, New South Wales raider Irreplaceable ($8.40) ran
down early leader Miss Jim ($6) to win by 2.5 lengths in 30.33. Pre-post favourite and fastest heat
winner Ferly Gain ($1.60F) missed the start and was never a winning chance, finishing a distant
seventh.
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$72,500 Group 1 hawkinsmedia.com.au Laurels Classic (515m)
|
|
Box
|
Greyhound
|
Trainer
|
Price
|
|
|
Alotta Mojo
|
Wayne Vassallo
|
$2.80
|
|
|
Who Told Helen
|
Jeff Britton
|
$11
|
|
|
Miss Jim
|
Tina Womann
|
$11
|
|
|
Hybrid Theory
|
Chris Darmanin
|
$3
|
|
|
Hot Puzzle
|
Paul Anderton
|
$4
|
|
|
Irreplaceable
|
Majella Ferguson
|
$17
|
|
|
Special Sign
|
Russell McRae
|
$15
|
|
|
Summer Grace
|
Dominic Crisafi
|
$13
|
|
|
Lady Moscatp (1st Res)
|
Jason Thompson
|
|
|
|
Classical Doll (2nd Res)
|
David Geall
|
|
Lenny de Lure selects: 1. Alotta Mojo, 2. Special Sign, 3. Hybrid Theory
Rob Britton trained both heat winners of the $36,000 Group 2 McKenna Memorial, with
Kulu Spirit ($13.60) causing the upset of the night when defeating dual Group 1 winner Chinatown
Lad ($1.20F).
Chinatown Lad began poorly and soon found himself near the tail of the field as
Hondo ($11.80) and Sonic Jet ($20.20) raced to an early lead.
Kulu Spirit settled midfield and railed strongly through the field to assume
the lead on turning for home, racing to victory in 42.92. Sky Hazzard ($11.40) also found the line
strongly to finish 3.25 lengths adrift in second to reach his 13
th Group final.
In the second heat, Gunnadoo Magic ($2.40F) prevailed by three-quarters of a lengths
in a thrilling duel with Fallen Zorro ($2.50).
Fallen Zorro was the best to begin but Gunnadoo Magic soon railed through to take
the lead. The pair exchanged the lead for the remainder of the race, and in a frantic dash to the
winning post, Gunnadoo Magic proved too good to win in 42.99 by three-quarters of a length.
Earlier in the night, glamour Queensland sprinter Queen Lauryn had her first look at
the Lightwood Road circuit, running an impressive 29.84 in a solo trial. The Wentworth Park track
record holder, owned by Laurels sponsor Steve Hawkins, will now have her first Victorian start at
Sandown Park next Thursday night.
The finals of the Group 1 hawkinsmedia.com.au Laurels Classic and Group 2 McKenna
Memorial will be run on Thursday 26 June.
|
$36,000 Group 2 McKenna Memorial (715m)
|
|
Box
|
Greyhound
|
Trainer
|
Price
|
|
|
Kulu Spirit
|
Rob Britton
|
$4
|
|
|
Sky Hazzard
|
Don Hazzard
|
$8
|
|
|
Hondo
|
James Ennis
|
$12
|
|
|
Fallen Zorro
|
Shane Whitney
|
$2.70
|
|
|
Prince Noir
|
Wayne Vassallo
|
$9
|
|
|
Awesimus Maximus
|
Phillis Brown
|
$26
|
|
|
Gunnadoo Magic
|
Rob Britton
|
$4
|
|
|
Ima Drifter
|
Wayne Vassllo
|
$13
|
|
|
Rebel Angel (1st Res)
|
Elsie King
|
|
|
|
Sonic Jet (2nd Res)
|
Peter Reinders
|
|
Lenny de Lure selects: 1. Kulu Spirit, 2. Fallen Zorro, 3. Prince Noir
* Markets courtesy of on-course bookmaker Alan Schwarz, Fonebet
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Last updated Thursday 19 June 2008
