Beau Overflows With Talent

By Jeff Collerson
Overflow Beau gave his owners Jean and Ray Holt their first group race success in over 40 years in the sport when he took out Thursday night's $30,000 to the winner Rising Stars Final at Albion Park.

Trained in Sydney by Craig Chappelow, Overflow Beau followed last month's slick 29.75 and 29.65 Wentworth Park wins with victory in a heat of the Rising Stars before overcoming a slow start to win the 520m final in 29.92, best time of the meeting.

Craig Chappelow said: "I am tossing up about whether to take Overflow Beau to Maitland for the Cup heats on December 1 or to Melbourne's for heats of the Group 1 Silver Chief at The Meadows on December 9.

"But I'm leaning toward the Melbourne race because I'm a believer in tackling age-restricted races with young dogs.''

Overflow Beau's part-owner Jean Holt said: "Craig has done a wonderful job with this dog and he is not afraid to travel.

"When training dogs got to be too much for Ray, who is 81, to handle, we asked Craig to become our trainer and we are so glad we did, not only due to his ability in that department but also because he is a wonderful young man.''

Watch Overflow Beau winning at Albion Park here.

Overflow Beau winning at Albion Park | Photo: Box 1 Photography


When Miss Zig Zag broke 30sec for the first time in 13 Wentworth Park appearances with a sizzling 29.73 best-of-the-night win on Friday trainer Syd Swain was not surprised.

The aptly named Miss Zig Zag is prepared by Swain at Clarence, home of the famous heritage steam train railway of the same name.

"This preparation is the first in which I have been able to get Miss Zig Zag fully fit,'' Swain said after his bitch's brilliant all-the-way win on Friday.

"She has been hard to train because previously she would trial well but then start limping, and nobody could work out what was wrong with her.

"She would come good after a while but her training was constantly interrupted.

Miss Zig Zag after her win on Friday


"I knew Miss Zig Zag only had to stay sound to go fast at Wenty after she finished second to Jason Magri's outstanding youngster Zipping Megatron there on November 3.

"She led Zipping Megatron for a long way and although he finished up running her down and beating her nearly six lengths into second place, she was always going to be improved a hell of a lot by that run.

"It was her first race in two months but she pulled up well, then got smashed at the start when fourth at her next start at Wentworth Park eight days later before winning so well tonight.''

Miss Zig Zag, a daughter of Fernando Bale, has brood bitch potential as while her dam Classy Aria won only three races, she is the daughter of Harry Markou's former dashing speedster Classy Love, winner of the 2012 Nowra Puppy Classic.

Kangaroo Jack, a kennel mate of Miss Zig Zag, finished fifth at Wentworth Park on Friday after bungling the start completely from his unsuitable box eight draw.

Syd Swain commented: "If I trialed them 'two out' Kangaroo Jack would beat Miss Zig Zag but the difference between them is she is a real little race dog while he has the talent but not her good habits.''