From the moment Vamos Penny started to race, trainer Kerry Drynan could see the similarities to her young bitch's mum, and with each run the comparison continues.
On Tuesday night at Gosford in the opening round of heats of the TAB Million Dollar Chase, Vamos Penny was one of two runners Drynan qualified for next Tuesday’s final, with kennelmate Kurios Motion also booking a berth in the Regional Final.
But it was the win of Vamos Penny, her eighth victory from just 11 starts which had Drynan excited.
Vamos Penny is the daughter of Chica Destacada, the 2014 National Sprint Champion who was trained by Drynan’s mother Doreen, and the similarities between Chica and Penny have not gone unnoticed.
“Right away, as soon as I started to race her, I straight away felt that,” she said of the comparison with Chica Destacada. “Everything she does reminds me of Chica so much.
“She had me a little worried early (in her heat) and then I couldn't spot her up the back, it's very difficult to see where she was, and I didn't even know she got there at the finish, but we're very, very happy she did.”
Vamos Penny had a length and three quarters to spare over Knight’s Page at the finish, clocking 29.50s.
“She came on season and it just took that long for her to get back to where she was, and just slowly over the last five weeks she just got better and better and she just showed us what she has.”
Fastest heat winner was Showtime Jack for Hagob Tatian, clocking 29.31s leading from the turn into the back straight and racing away for a strong win over ZIPPING Jafar.
“He lacked a little bit of pace early but he’s starting to put his mind on the job a lot better than what he was,” Tatian said. “He’s still young and he always come up against some really good dogs, he’s had to race a lot of fast dogs.”
Trainer Mark Davidson was delighted with ZIPPING Jafar’s 29.51s effort in running second.
“That’s his PB here. It's good to see he's improved a couple of tenths,” Davidson said. “The small field probably suited him as he lacks a little bit of speed early, but he’s very strong to the line and he’s been running in the middle distances, so to drop back, it's a good run.
“He's just a phenomenal Chaser, a handy bread and butter dog who goes around every week, solid as a rock.”
Two years ago George Borg trained Miss Splendamiro to win the opening heat of the inaugural Million Dollar Chase series at Bathurst, and he won the opening heat of the 2020 edition on Tuesday night with No More Partying who clocked 29.46s.
“He's a great dog to train and he just knows his business, getting in the boxes and all hell breaks loose with him,” Borg said. “I gave him a box to box trial here and the times were good for the first and second sections, so I was sort of hoping he could step away safely and find the lead and that's exactly what he did. I still think there is a bit of room for improvement.”
Also advancing to the final from that heat was CHRIS Carl’s Rock Or Bust
“She's always been able to run, but she still does a lot wrong,” Carl said. “She's got a few little tricks but she can run.
“I’m happy to be through (to the final). You can’t win sitting at home.”
