The stage has been set. Those expected to be there, did precisely what they were supposed to in Wednesday night’s heats and ensured a tantalising scenario for Saturday week’s Group 2 Sydney Cup final.
But one thing to come out of the qualifying races at Wentworth Park, was that while the young contenders are circling, the King is not be quite ready to abdicate.
Promising stayers Miss Ezmae and Super Estrella were again impressive running their rivals into the loam, but it was the performance of Stanley Road that demonstrated he may not be ready to surrender the title of the State’s best stayer just yet.
The winner of the Group 1 Association Cup earlier this year, Stanley Road looked dynamic clocking 41.93s winning his heat of the Cup by 7¾ lengths.
As all expected he was way back in the field early, last down the straight the first time, but as he moved his way through the field, it was clearly evident how this race would end up.
He had rounded up all but the leader Barsandi as they field were well into the back straight, then on the top turn, he roared inside the leader and was off and gone.
The winner’s time was just 0.01s outside his best for the Wentworth Park 720m. Second went to My Margarita, a nose in front of Kylie Keeping, with both greyhounds advancing to the final.
“I was really happy with the run,” said trainer Mark Gatt. “He got back a bit again. He seems to be making a habit of that at the moment and he’ll have to use his brains again in the final, but I think he’ll be spot on in 10 days’ time.”
Gatt explained that Stanley Road had been suffering from a slight injury leading into the heat.
“He was just a bit sore in the neck but we got it right, and this will give us even more time to get it right for the final.”
While Gatt used to be desperate for Stanley Road to draw an inside box, he is less concerned thesedays.
“Box draws were pretty important at the start but it wouldn’t have mattered if he had box 8 he would have been in the same position on the fence on the first turn.
“He’s getting into a habit of letting them go, and (in the final), he’ll probably let them go, jump on the fence and look for runs.”
Miss Ezmae having just her third start over the staying trip, was again impressive and her future looks so bright.
She speared to the lead on boxrise running 15.95s for the 280m to the post, and never looked like being threatened, winning by 2¾ lengths in 42.29s just 0.01s faster than the time she posted winning on debut over the Wentworth Park 720m seven days earlier.
The Darryl Thomas-trained Line Of Quality was very impressive making up many lengths after walking out of the boxes and being last early, to finish second having taken several lengths off the winner, with Prim And Proper a further 2¾ lengths back in third.
Asked if she could bring her time down under 42s in the final, trainer Jack Smith said Miss Ezmae would need to.
“I’m hoping so. I think she will have to if she wants to win the race. Let hope with the hit out tonight and another one through the week, she’ll be right,” Smith said.
“She was fresh tonight. She had a pretty easy week, and put on a little bit of weight, hence her getting a little bit tired, but as long as she made it through to the big dance, that’s what we wanted.”
Thomas too was delighted with the run of Line Of Quality, having his first run in almost two months and his first 700m run since June.
“He got back, and the small field helped him, but it was great run first-up for a while,” Thomas said.
“We were a bit rushed with him but the 10 day gap really helps us now, but he needs to fix his race traits a bit to be competitive in the final and hopefully he does.
“He can come out, and when he broke the record at Nowra he did come out, but we have to pray for a good box and hopefully he comes out and they will know he’s there.”
The third good thing of the heats also did what she was expected to do, leading throughout and clocking a personal best time of 42.04s (15.92s first split) in winning by 2½ lengths from handy stayer Zipping Niseko with By Five Helen a further three lengths back in third.
“She rattled off some pretty good sections so were really happy with her,” Super Estrella’s trainer David Smith said. “I think she’s going to continue to improve and a fast track will suit her.”
Asked where she sits among the good dogs Smith has trained, he didn’t hesitate: “She’s got to be the best. We have had ones that have had potential but she’s getting the results. She's multiple group placed and hopefully she got one (a Group win) in her.”
