Tasmanian trainer Gary Fahey is eyeing two upcoming staying races in coming months with Raider’s Guide.
The Tasmanian Greyhound Hall of Fame mentor is banking on a big plan for the Group 1 Rookie Rebel winner, to tackle the The Ladbrokes 715 at The Gardens in April and May.
Connections have also highlighted the Group 1 Sandown Cup (715m) in Victoria as another potential target.
An exhibition trial in Launceston on Monday night over 720m, has reinforced Gary’s plans to take the son of Zambora Brockie away, after he clocked an impressive 42.05s stepping out over the staying trip.
The time recorded was just two-one hundredths outside the record of 42.03 seconds held by Wynburn Ruby.
“It was a chance to see Raider’s Guide run 700m, he ran it well, the time was pretty good first go,” Gary said.
“We thought he could run out the distance; it has given us the opportunity to look at races on the mainland, the staying race in Sydney (The 715m) is coming up, off that trial it has given us confidence to look forward.”
Heats of the world’s richest staying race, worth $500,000 to winning connections, are pencilled in for 26 April 26 with the final to be run on May 3, with plans to also give Raider’s Guide a trial at The Gardens in the lead-up.
“With a dog like Raider’s Guide, it’s certainly worth having a go at these races that are major staying events, we want to give the dog every opportunity, he will be trialling at both tracks in preparation,” Gary explained.
Connections have been down a similar path 40 years ago, having raced former top-class stayer Lygon Leader.
“We were in this same situation with Lygon Leader, he had outclassed most the races in the state at that time, so we trialled him over the longer trip and he had broken the record on the old Hobart Showgrounds track.
“He quickly turned into a serious stayer and officially broke the Hobart 725m track record. It was tough races back then, running in the National Distance Championship and Ford Fury Cup was a brilliant effort,” Gary recalled.
Raider’s Guide will trial at Sandown Park next Tuesday before heading up to The Gardens a fortnight after.
The Group 1 Sandown Cup is run over 715m at Sandown Park in Victoria, a time-honoured staying contest, worth $175,000-to-the-winner, with the heats to be conducted May 16 going into the final on May 24.
