Sequana stars over the middle distance

By Isaac Murphy

With the Listed Carnival Chase heats over the middle-distance scheduled for next week, the big guns came out to play in the free for all over the 600m at Albion Park on Thursday night. 

There was plenty of intrigue around who would prevail in the key lead up race and the contestants didn’t disappoint.

The first four consisted of Sequana (pictured), Pump It, Waikarie Bell and Ava Wine, who all have winter aspirations.

Sequana was the story of the night. 

Selena Zammit elected to step the dynamic bitch up to the 600m for the first time this prep and when she hustled her way to the front from box eight, she was always going to be too tough to catch, clocking 34.87 seconds.

“She got knocked around in the Winged Runner Trophy last week and we didn’t want to put her back in a sprint field and risk denting her confidence, we know she’s proficient at 600m, so we stepped her up,” Zammit said.

“She’s been jumping well over the sprint and got out nicely tonight, we expected her to feel the pinch a bit late and she did but that’s more than a pass mark.

“If she can find a way through her heat next week and into the final, she should be hitting full fitness when it matters, we’ve decided we’ll push on the 700m later in the carnival, as well.”

Mark Saal was rapt with the run of Group 2 Queensland Oaks winner Pump It, who came home like a train to just miss nabbing the win on the line.

It was a huge run given her limited preparation.

“I’m over the moon with that she’s at least a couple of weeks short coming into this race and to make up the ground she did tells me she’ll run over the 600-700m in the next couple of months," Saal said. 

“She’s had two trials and one sprint race since returning from season, once I get some serious work into her, I think she’ll measure up to anything.”

Waikarie Bell is a mercurial bitch for Karen Kleinhans but her talent is undeniable at her best.

Kleinhans was more than pleased to see her charge home into third.

Waikarie Bell will step straight to the 700m next week, she says. 

Peter Lagogiane sent star prospect Ava Wine for a look at the track before last weeks heats and he’ll be better for it.

Ava Wine looked a little lost in the run but it’s sure to do him the world of good when he backs up next week.

All Hands Off and Sequana have owned Best 8 races at headquarters over the past couple of months.

But, they haven’t had to contend with Mitch Northfield’s Kooringa Lucy, who was on season and while she’s still feeling the effects was good enough to claim the Legacy Classic final in 29.84 seconds. 

“With the depth of the Winged Runner last week and only being third up while racing through her season it was just a bit too big an ask from box seven, she needs the fence and got that tonight,” kennel representative Craig Mcphee said.

“It looks like she was able to clear All Hands Off before the turn and she checked off our heels, she’s the one we would have been worried about late, so the race worked out well.

“I know Mitch (Northfield) is happy with her, she won a really good race down at Casino and now an open company race at Albion Park, she’s headed in the right direction Brisbane Cup wise.”

Hope’s King (pictured) brought some strong form line into his mixed fourth and fifth grade contest, beaten in the shadows of the post by Paw it On last week.

It was Hope’s King's turn on Thursday night as Travis Elson’s chaser was first out and first home, defying a flying Pokie Payout.

“The way he won that race is the exact blueprint I envisioned when I got him back to the 500m, beat them to the first mark and try to break their hearts down the back,” Elson said.

“I don’t take any of his wins for granted, he’s a walking miracle this dog he goes out there with a plate in his leg from an injury that had him out for seven months, not many come back and race like he is.

“I’m just really proud of the dog he’s had to rebuild himself from the ground up and is now consistently competing as a fourth grader on Thursday nights.”

Any dog running sub thirty on a Thursday is of some substance, but Elson thinks he can squeeze a little more out of the chaser.

“The 29.96 seconds he ran is right around his mark even before the injury that’s what he could get to and he’s come back running similar time,” he said.

“I’d love to see him shave a couple of tenths off, with his box speed he could be really competitive in some of the bigger races we have coming up.

“I think he’ll get down to that range again as the track hots up and is a bit more suited to front runners like him.”

Ninetymile King (pictured) continued his weekly ritual of winning over the middle-distance, despite facing his sternest test yet in the fifth-grade final.

He took care of business in trademark style.

“We gave him a pretty light week of work at home just to freshen him up a tad before the Listed Carnival Chase heats next week,” kennel representative Chris Johnston said.

“Smart Lilly is probably the best bitch he’s come across over the 600m and gave him something to chase when she strode to the lead, but it was good to see him nice and handy from box seven and he did enough.

“There’s no more protecting him in the grades now it’s Free for All from here on in."

The Kev Ellis-trained Impact is one to watch in the age restricted races over the next month after backing up last weeks dominant Novice win with after a professional display in taking out his fifth grade in 30.06 seconds.

That’s four wins on end for the dog, who won the heat and final of the Bob Vernon Memorial at Capalaba before coming to headquarters, but Ellis said his sole focus is now on the circle.

“I was interested to see how he pulled up after his first 500m run for some time last week, but he was fresh and ready to go the only thing I was concerned about was moving up in grade,” Ellis said.

“He’s got the talent to go further than fifth grade company but first time’s always a challenge and he had box four to deal with as well, I think I said this last week but I’m quite surprised how well he’s gone to the first mark.

“He’ll be in the Young Guns heats next week which’ll be an even bigger jump in class, but these age races only come around once a year and he’s shown enough to consider himself a chance.”

Jemma Daley continues to build her training portfolio as she scored with Where’s the Star in her Novice, giving the young trainer just her second Thursday night winner.

The bitch has bounced around kennels and never really had any continuity until she joined Daley earlier this month.

She has found immediate results.

“The owner got in contact with me and said she hasn’t done much yet but I think there’s something for you to work with here and that’s just the kind of greyhounds I want to be training,” Daley said.

“She was great tonight, she’s a mad railer which is going to win her races like it did tonight but hopefully she develops a bit more race sense over time.

“I’m still working her out a bit I need to find her right weight and I think you’ll see a much more consistent bitch, it’s really rewarding to know what I’ve done so far has worked.”