Hunt making a habit in winning Thursday night features

By Isaac Murphy

It was blink and you miss it action at Albion Park on Thursday night with the Best Free for All 395m dogs getting their chance to shine on the big stage. 

It was Sandra Hunt who prevailed with Beg Pardon (pictured) beating kennel mate Hope Sure Can home.

The trainer is making a habit of winning short course features when they come up on the schedule.

Hunt rugged up Beg Pardon (4), Hope Sure Can (6) and Lynney Sure Can (8) and she capitalized with a Beg Pardon and Hope Sure Can quinella, which was paying $41.

“The 395m is right on Hope Sure Can’s limit, I knew she was going to have to lead and get away by a few to hang on from some of the strong dogs, but I wasn’t expecting Beg Pardon to be so close,” Hunt said.

“I was hoping the little bitch could hold on and win just because of the record she’s built up (14 wins), but that was a huge effort from Beg Pardon to run her down.

"That opens up a few doors for him.

“Seeing him run on like that, I think the time might be right to get him back to the 500m, he’s still young and but his manners have improved.”

Hunt always expected Beg Pardon to be winning on Thursday night’s, just not over the short course, with a return to the traditional sprint expected.

“We thought he was an out and out 500m dog when we first started him, but he wasn’t quite getting it and when he did he turned his head on the line and we had to tip him out,” she said.

“He’s still a bit crazy but he’s matured a lot as a race dog learning how to navigate a field over the short course, he’s got five wins over the trip now.

“Thursday night's should always be predominantly about the 500m chasers, I don’t think that should change, but you’ve got some serious Free for All dogs that could put on a real show if they get the chance on Thursday’s more often.”

Hunt spoke glowingly about Hope Sure Can who was angling for a second consecutive Thursday night triumph after winning the Lightning on Gold Bullion night earlier this year.

“She knows when she’s on the big stage this bitch, she won the Lightning that night from box six and she did absolutely everything right from the same draw tonight," Hunt said. 

“She’s been running 22.7, so she’s run just about the quickest she can going 22.52, Beg Pardon was just a bit too close.

“To win 14 from 20 starts is a pretty amazing effort especially when you’re in top grade over the short courses, she jumps brilliantly from the 331m consistently running 18.7 or lower, she’s got plenty more wins in her.”

Kooringa Lucy (pictured) is looming as a big danger over the winter carnival.

The Mitch Northfield sprint and middle-distance bitch returned from season in style and was too classy in her fourth grade race. 

“She’s stepped out there tonight after doing six weeks of basically nothing and managed to put herself in a winning position and break thirty (29.93), that’s more than I could ask for,” Northfield said.

“I think her box manners are what’s going to separate her this prep, she led Phantom Bonnie winning at Casino first up last week and she’s the track record holder.

“12.84 home is pretty average for her but with a bit more work she’ll shave a few tenths off that and if she’s leading and running home, she’ll take some beating.”

Also on the program on Thursday evening at Albion Park, Team Zammit recently received a boost, taking on a trio of Flying Fired Up/Shelley pups, who’d been doing their racing at Dubbo.

Payton and Georgia Keeping have already made their mark on a Thursday night and at her first attempt Ivana Keeping rattled home to win her Novice in 30.16.

“She’s just been a little behind her litter mates (Georgia Keeping, Payton Keeping) fitness wise, we just took an extra few weeks to make sure she was ready to go,” Zammit said.

“Fantastic to get her Novice out of the way tonight, I thought Light My Flyer might be a bit too quick for us drawn box four, but we managed to find the rail and ran home well.

“Her pattern is very similar to the litter mates, I think she’s a 600m bitch in the making but we’ll get some racing in her legs first.”

Meanwhile, Sequana (pictured) served up another lesson in Open Company.

Only moderately away Selena Zammit’s bitch surged into the race at the backend for another brilliant win.

“It’s just such an honour to train her, she’s a magnificent animal when she’s up and running, it’s hard not to smile after nights like tonight,” Zammit said.

“Seeing her develop through the years has been really rewarding, she could always run time but found trouble in a field and now her race sense is a strength.

“She’s right on target for the Winter Carnival, held up she still ran 29.71 tonight, we’ll keep her over the sprint while she’s going well but the six hundred is always a trump card we can call on.”

Earlier in the night, Jamie Hosking’s quartet of Dyna Double One/Paul’s Memory chasers have all made their mark across South-East Queensland.

But, it’s been Power Point Diva who’s flown under the radar, with the bitch adding another win to her resume over the 700m trip. 

“She’s always taken a bit of a back seat to the rest of the litter (Columbian King, Micks Recall, Waddling Witch), she probably doesn’t have that star factor they have but she’s a really nice bitch,” Hosking said.

“Whether it’s the 431m or 520m at Ipswich, running 19.8 at Capalaba, the 520m or 600m at Albion and now the 700m she’s won everywhere I’ve taken her.

“She hasn’t broken any records on the clock tonight (42.28), but she’s only had a few stars over the distance, and I thought she handled her business really professionally.”