The richest middle distance race in NSW will be decided at Dapto on Thursday, and the contest is one of genuine substance.
The box draw has not been kind to the fastest qualifier ZIPPING Niseko, as she seeks to improve her unbeaten record at the Showgrounds circuit to seven.
Just under 12 months back, ZIPPING Niseko won her maiden at Dapto over 520m in a smart 29.90s and on Christmas Eve again saluted in 29.85s.
Trainer Jason Magri took only another three starts – each at Wentworth Park over 520m – to step the daughter of Aston Dee Bee up in trip and she turned heads immediately.
While high speed was her sire, Aston Dee Bee's calling card, her sparingly raced dam Crafty Lady won the Group 2 Globe Memorial at Wentworth Park (720m) and her pedigree oozes back-end strength.
“Crafty Lady has been one of our best producers,” owner-breeder Martin Hallinan said.
“ZIPPING Niseko is from her sixth and last litter and she’s the best, performance-wise, of the lot.
“ZIPPING Potter (by Mogambo) won 19 races and more than $100,000 … he was runner-up in the Group 1 Hume Cup in 2015 but never ran the sort of time Niseko has produced.
“Crafty Lady is a daughter of Valerie’s Purse, a granddaughter of Miss Cruise – it’s been a hugely influential dam line for us.”
With 16 wins from only 35 starts and more than $155,000 in stakes, ZIPPING Niseko is the one to beat in the $25,000 to-the-winner Sportsbet-sponsored series but there's no room for a false step!
Magri was to have two runners in the final with ZIPPING Niseko’s kennelmate Where’s Rocky having drawn box one, but the dog was scratched on the mroning of the race.
Prim And Proper (Box Four) is one of the speed elements in the contest, and always puts herself in contention, while her kennel mate Ice Cream Story was only collared late when second to ZIPPING Niseko in a 34.43s heat.
In further exciting middle distance news, on November 12 Greyhound Racing NSW announced a regional track in March 2022 will hold a race offering $125,000 to the winner.
While a venue is yet to be decided on, the series will outstrip Victorian Group 1's at the same distance range - the Hume Cup, Rookie Rebel and Sale Cup (each $75,000 to the winner).
The first of 10 races at Dapto gets underway at 7.13pm.
