Sky Wave, Good Odds Harada, Zipping Kyrgios...Who Is Next?
By Simon Orchard
The Maitland Future Stars Maiden has delivered in spades in recent years with several outstanding Chasers emerging from the series.
In 2017 the event was won by Sky Wave who would go on to be one of leading sprinters in NSW, winning the State Sprint Championships and representing NSW at the National Titles in 2018. Later that year Sky Wave would finish third in the Inaugural Million Dollar Chase behind Mystic Riot.
The following year the Future Stars winner was the Frank Hurst-trained Good Odds Harada. A year later in 2019, Harada would go on to win the Million Dollar Chase Grand Final. The 2020 winner was the John Finn-trained Zipping Kyrgios, while Ties That Bind claimed the race for the Hurst’s in 2021.
We’ve run an eye over the six heats set to go off on Thursday afternoon’s big program and found some interesting angles for the punters and greyhound fans.
Rinsed The Lot – unraced son of Barcia Bale x Mrs. Mouse for the Sultana kennel. Mrs. Mouse was a winner at Wenty Park in 29.95, at The Gardens in 29.60 and at Dapto in 29.87. Mrs. Mouse's first litter produced star Chaser Fernando Hunter who has won 23 race starts and accumulated more than $200,000 in prizemoney. His litter sister, Red Hot Mouse, was also a Group 1 National Futurity finalist in 2022.
Angel Shirley – great breeding lines. Daughter of Really Unreal who ran second in the 2019 Group 3 Magic Maiden and was a Richmond Oaks and Christmas Cheer finalist in the same year. Really Unreal won over 720m on numerous occasions and was a daughter of Group 1 winning star Chica Destacada. That Chaser also produced superstars Blue Moon Rising, Poco Dorado and Veloce Nero.
Vintage Mel – second litter out of Sweet City Woman and littermates include Overflow Beau (8 wins from 13 starts and Group 3 winner), Overflow Jill (4 from 10 and 29.79 victor at Wenty Park), Astro Girl (2 from 5), Chief Lightning (2 from 4) and Speedy Pie (three wins and yet to miss the top two in five starts).
Sapphire Banner – a Blue Moon Rising x Lilly Banner pup with big potential. Littermate Brute Banner has already won five of six career starts and Tulsi Banner won on debut at Richmond on Monday. Dad needs no introduction and was a half a million dollar earner, while Mum won the Group 1 Peter Mosman Opal final in 2020 (replay below).
Sally Chana – daughter of Ando’s Mac x Zipping Sookie. Dam won 10 races over short courses and her first litter produced Charlm Dancer and Charlm Outlaw who have claimed 21 races from 53 starts. Both of those dogs have broken 29.8 over the Wentworth Park 520m.
King Aussie – son of Aussie Infrared x Esther’s Diva and a litter brother to Great Flash who has won 8 of 16 starts for Minnie Finn between 350m and 520m. Aussie Infrared has produced the likes of Elite Machine, Lala Kiwi and former Future Stars winner Zipping Kyrgios, but there are few bigger names in chasing right now than his progeny and 2023 Melbourne Cup favourite Big Energy.
Off The Richter – one of few with race experience at the track and placed behind impressive winner Elite Chevy a month ago. Off The Richter ran 22.40 in defeat (replay below) and to put that in perspective, previous Maitland Future Stars winners include Ties That Bind (22.33), Zipping Kyrgios (22.29) and Good Odds Harada (22.25). Big watch.
Furious – a son of Fernando Bale x Verstappen (appropriately named) who is a brother to Ezra Man (a winner of 7 from 11 and a Grafton Maiden Classic finalist), Stappen On Tap (5 from 12) and Tap The Keg (4 from 9 and a winner at Maitland).
Bedazzled – daughter of Fernando Bale x Bedazzled Babe who won a dozen races from 23 starts with a best of 29.48 at The Gardens. Littermate He’s A Dazzler has already won 8 of 15 with back-to-back 25.03 efforts over the Maitland 450m among his most recent successes.
Maddi And Me – won’t get many with more race experience and most of it has come at Maitland with 8 starts for seven runners-up cheques at the track. Daughter of Feral Franky x Lulu Forty and has clocked times of 22.75 from the 400m boxes.
Euphoria – another Chappelow runner with good bloodlines. Hooked On Scotch is no stranger but her mum, Twisted Love, produced Group 1 winner Embrace. Euphoria went around as a $3.40 second favourite on debut at Wenty Park three weeks ago but had zero luck behind Sammy Ethan who clocked 29.86 (replay below).
Flying Wilson – son of Zipping Garth x Len’s Pick and her first litter bred some capable types in Blazing Bob (24 wins), Rushforth Ally (second in The Thunderbolt this year), Queen Wok (Casino Cup finalist) and Wilson’s Pick (won 10 of 23). Trainer Martin Bowe claimed Robert Smith Memorial Maiden earlier this year with Big Boy Wilson so can prepare a juvenile. The bitch in Box 4, Charlie’s Pick, is also his littermate so keep on eye on the pair of them.
Canya Inferno – kennel is in good nick after claiming the Casino Cup and this guy is a son of Good Odds Harada x Optical. Harada won this race in 2018 and the mother was a winner in eight of her 10 career starts, all at 405m in Western Australia (the Maitland Future Stars is run over 400m). His half-brother, Canya Exceed, ran second to Chance Model in a Nowra heat of the MDC in September.
