GREYHOUNDS: Wallsend trainer Troy Halligan couldn't be happier with Golden Phase's form and draw heading into Million Dollar Chase heats at Maitland on Monday night. Login or signup to continue reading Golden Phase has won four in a row and has prevailed in all three runs at Maitland over the heat distance of 450m. She has box eight in the second, and perhaps the easiest, of two heats which kick off the premier NSW series.
"Boxed beautiful," Halligan said. "She likes the middle of the track, so you want four and out. "It's a funny track at Maitland.
It's got an eight degree camber to the first corner. It's a good run to it but if you miss it slightly on the inside they can roll down on top of you. "She won off the eight last start there, so I'm happy with that, and the seven [Isle Of Rose] should give her a nice cart across.
It's very quick early." Golden Phase was equal $2.50 favourite for the heat with Nad Al Sheba (one).
"The one is the logical favourite ...
but it will have to be good to beat her. She undefeated up there and breaks 25 seconds almost every time. "The run at Wenty last start topped her off nice and she went up the straight during the week and went the best she's gone.
" Golden Phase won in a best of the night time of 29.53 seconds last time out at Wentworth Park on August 19. Heat one at Maitland features young guns Rinsed The Lot (box one) and Barefoot Zulu (three).
HARNESS RACING: East Maitland trainer Keith McDeed is confident Two Cracked Corn and Wicked Susan can qualify for the $100,000 2YO fillies final from heats of the Breeders Challenge Blue series at Menangle on Monday. Farley-based reinsman Leigh Sutton will drive both from gate six in their respective heats, where a top-five finish earns a spot in the September 7 decider. The pair last raced at Newcastle on August 19 when they placed in the same race against older horses.
"I was pleased with both of them, especially Two Cracked Corn because she'd had a bit of a setback," McDeed said. "She come from the back row and hit the line really good, and Wicked Susan is as honest as the day is long. They've both been working good.
" Cessnock trainer Grace Panella, who won with Peppa Bliss and Shadow Eclipse on Friday at Newcastle, has Erasmus (2YO colts and geldings) and Watsluvgottado (3YO fillies) in heats. RACING: Scone apprentice Braith Nock and Newcastle trainer Nathan Doyle combined for a double at Saturday's Newcastle meeting. Nock, who finished runner-up to Zac Lloyd in the NSW apprentices' premiership last season with 89 winners, had a day out, with two winners and three placings from six mounts.
The first of the Nock-Doyle winners was former Victorian galloper Deprivation in the 1250m Lake Macquarie Cup, a provincial benchmark 68 handicap. The six-year-old won four from 19 starts in Victoria and had not raced since a failure at Geelong in November. Doyle gave Deprivation only one barrier trial before Saturday and he was heavily backed on race day, firming from $3.
70 to $3. Nock allowed the gelding to cruise along in front and he always travelled like the winner. He kicked away from the field and went on to win by 2.
85 lengths. Deprivation is raced by a Blueblood Thoroughbreds syndicate, as is Doyle's other winner on the program, Mondo, which claimed the final event, a 1400m benchmark 64 handicap. Before the race, the TAB representative on Sky Racing said Mondo was the best backed runner all day at Newcastle.
The five-year-old bolted in at Newcastle on August 8 after a torrid run, and on Saturday he was a pronounced $2.70 favourite. From the rails barrier, Nock allowed Mondo to drift back to midfield.
At the top of the straight, when other jockeys elected to shift away from the inside, Nock drove Mondo along the rail and he won by 1.84 lengths. The Mark Minervini stable are renowned for landing big plunges at Newcastle and they pulled off another on Saturday.
Dubai Flyer, raced by the Minervini family, former Newcastle Jockey Club director Allen Hardes and others, was a $10 chance with TAB when markets were framed on Thursday for the 1600m class 1 handicap. On race day, Dubai Flyer was backed from $9 into $4.80.
Local jockey Blake Spriggs rode the five-year-old when he was placed first-up at Newcastle on August 8 and he was aboard on Saturday. Dubai Flyer raced outside the leader, and after hitting the front halfway down the straight, he held off the challengers to win narrowly. Premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller also trained a winning double at Newcastle, with imported mare Fakhra and Canpikapony.
On a day of well-backed winners, Fakhra firmed from $2.60 to $1.90 in the 1850m maiden plate.
Before Saturday, the Irish-bred mare had been placed in seven of 11 starts and was favourite in four of her previous five runs. After enjoying a lovely run on the rail in the small field, she won by three lengths. Canpikapony drifted from $1.
50 to $2.20 in the 1250m 3YO maiden handicap before an easy win in front of heavily backed Stage Legend. Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
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