The Ladbrokes 715

Ladbrokes 715 On The Radar

By Jeff Collerson
Check The Radar, who became the first greyhound to break the 42sec barrier when she won over 722m at Richmond last Wednesday in 41.95, will now tackle the $500,000 to the winner Ladbrokes 715 at The Gardens.

Check The Radar won in 42.26 at Richmond on April 10 but slashed those figures last Wednesday.

Trainer Peter Rodgers said: "The late John Finn had a marvellous eye for a greyhound and when Check The Radar first started racing he told me she was likely to become a very good stayer.

"She has not raced at The Gardens so I will take her there on Monday (April 22) for a slip to prepare her for the heats of the Ladbrokes 715 next Friday.''

Check The Radar


Rodgers had a field night at Richmond as his up-and-coming sprinter Superstar Ethics won over 520m in 29.22, just .11sec outside the track record held by Coin Model.

"Superstar Ethics was a little too old to contest the New Sensation and is also just beyond the age criteria for the Young Guns in Brisbane so he will be nominated for Saturday night's heats of the Group 3 Bob Payne Sprint at Wentworth Park,'' Rodgers said.

Ritza Smoke was Friday night's fastest Wentworth Park winner with a blistering 29.51 all-the-way win but he won't be among the entries for Saturday night's Bob Payne Sprint at headquarters.

On Friday Ritza Smoke improved on his previous best Wentworth Park figures of 29.53 for his fifth win at the track, but trainer Mark Gatt said: "Box one made all the difference to him on Wednesday.

"He was right on the fence and didn't have to go around another dog.

"If he draws box three or even two he could find a way of mucking things up, he just hasn't learned to race well in a field.

"Because he is still eligible for low grade races at Wenty I'll just take him through his classes.''

Ritza Smoke wins on Friday


Tarawi Zoomer became one of Sydney greyhound racing's longest-priced winners when he got up to win a 520m fifth grade by a head at $101 on Wednesday night.

Tarawi Zoomer's win was no fluke as he covered the 520m in a reasonable 30.13.

Handler Troy MacDonald, whose mother-in-law Lorraine Atchison owns and trains Tarawi Zoomer, said after the dog scored his second win in 29 starts: "It just goes to show every chipmunk gets an acorn occasionally.

"Did I back him, no way, because he is not a punting commodity.

"Tarawi Zoomer usually misses the start and does nothing back in the field.

"But he jumped well tonight and we've always known the dog has some ability, as at his only previous win, over 515m at Gosford, he clocked the handy time of 29.78.''