Fastest qualifier – 28.03. Slowest qualifer 28.17
A length and three quarters separates all six runners in the Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks Final which takes place next Saturday.
With Droopys Mandolin being the last ante post favourite to be eliminated, it was Kevin Hutton’s Jet Stream Angel who set the fastest time in the semi finals.
The younger half sister to the brilliant Irish Oaks/Derby winner Susie Sapphire clocked 28.03 as she looks to follow in the pawprints of Kevin Hutton’s previous Oaks winners: Droopys Danneel (2013), Ravenswood Flo ((2018) and Bull Run Byte (2019).
Richard Rees’ grandfather Phil landed the event three times, his dad Philip won it once, and the kennel will be doubly represented in the final after Starshinestunner led home kennelmate Whats Up Eva in the opening semi. Whatever the result, the winner looks well set for a career over a slightly longer trip.
There might even have been a third Rees runner, Chris Fereday’s Droopys Request is a former Rees inmate.
No one could deny No Rush a big race success in her fourth Category One Final. Carol Weatherall’s British bred is seldom caught when leading and the sole wide seed beat the remaining Irish entry Droopys Ailsa in 28.05.
Quarteira looks well set to emulate former kennelmate Gougane Jet who landed the 2022 Scurry. The Mark Wallis trained black is gradually finding more consistency to go with his undoubted pace and he clocked the fastest semi final in 16.10.
In the final he is drawn alongside Richie Taberner’s consistently underrated Crossfield Larry who landed his semi in 16.31 and returned at 4-1.
The two main events are supported by the final of a Maiden Trophy in which Glimmer Man was particularly impressive.
