Richmond to Feel the Fury of a Fever

By Jeff Collerson


Richmond 330m specialist Fever Fury, who has won five of her past eight starts over the Londonderry circuit's shortest course, is boxed to bounce back into the winner's circle there on Wednesday. 

The Michael Hooper-trained Fever Fury has box two in the 330m Ladbrokes Cash In Free-For-All and is chasing her third win in as many starts from that inside draw. 

Fever Fury has not raced since finishing seventh, from box four, at Richmond on May 27 but Hooper said that run should be ignored. 


"Several dogs in that race were boxed upside down, and when Fever Fury jumped the greyhound in box eight came down on top of her and then the dog in box one wanted to get off the track,'' Hooper said. 

"It was roughly run and my bitch was one of the starters who was virtually knocked out of the race. 

"She pulled up okay though and I gave her a few jump-outs from starting boxes on Monday so she looks raring to go again. 

"In the past, when Fever Fury has been sharpened up with some box practice on the eve of a race at Richmond, she has come out and won, usually recording a quick first split of around 4.51s. 

"If she does that again this week she will be hard to toss.'' 

Eddie Foyle won 14 races with their dam Rema's Amber and nine with that bitch's mother Rema's Topaz and he has high hopes for three members of the latest generation which he will unveil at Richmond on Wednesday. 

Rema's Fernando, Rema's Bronze and Rema's Jade, 17 month old offspring of Fernando Bale and Rema's Amber, will make their first public appearances in heats of the 330m Ladbrokes Maiden Series. 

"They have had plenty of experience at Richmond as I have been trialling them there,'' Foyle said. 

"But while I am confident they will all win races, none of them has been in a full field before so they are still very green, it is all going to be new to them. 

"Rema's Fernando, who has box four in heat one, is definitely the quickest. 

"His middle sectional times are particularly good and I'm confident he will eventually run 520 metres. 

"Rema's Bronze, who has drawn eight in heat two, has early pace while Rema's Jade, who has box three in the fourth heat, tends to play up in the starting boxes but she comes home good.'' 

Also engaged in heat four of the Ladbrokes Maiden is the Donna Campbell-trained newcomer On The Rocks, who has box eight. 

"She should go all right because she has been trialling nicely,'' Campbell said. 

"In her first 297m trial at Dapto On The Rocks clocked 17.07s and she has been recording around the 18.80s mark over the 330m at Richmond

"But On The Rock is a real baby, just over 16 months old, and has only ever been trialled against one other dog.''

Campbell's best chance at Richmond looks to be Sure She Is, who will exit box one for the first time in her career when she wears the red rug in the 400m TSR Access Services Stakes. 

"It looks to be the right race for her and Sure She Is will be suited by box one because she is a desperate railer,'' Campbell said. 

"She is no champion but gives 100 per cent every time she races, she is a real good little chaser.'' 

Best Bet Sure She Is (race 8) 

Best Value Fever Fury (race 6) 

Quaddie race 5 - 1, 3, 8 

Race 6 - 2, 3, 4 

Race 7 - 6, 4, 3 

Race 8 - 1, 3 

$20 for 37.03%