Jagger’s Need For Speed
9 May, 2018
Greyhound
Star WA chaser Quick Jagger will be out for a share of $190,000 in the exciting Speed Star concept at Sandown Park tomorrow night.
Quick Jagger drops back in distance to 515m tomorrow night, following his third placing to Rippin’ Sam in the Galaxy (715m) on April 21.
The Chris Halse-trained chaser heads into the Bill Collins Speed Star Division of the program as the third fastest qualifier behind Elevated and My Redeemer.
The qualifying times are based on greyhounds quickest times since January 1, setting up intriguing contests tomorrow night, where each division is separated into four match races.
Quick Jagger is drawn the inside box in his heat, where he comes up against Dyna Wazza, who was the sixth fastest dog in qualifying.
Halse’s kennel representative Luke Townsend said everything was in order for Quick Jagger, and said the experience of racing in the Shootout at Sandown on New Year’s Day would hold him good stead for the Speed Star.
“Everything was good when Linda spoke to Robert on Monday,” he said.
“He won the Sale Cup, then he went to Sandown in the Shootout and that was no drama at all.
“He will run a serious time if he’s 100 per cent fit.”
Townsend said the Speed Star format could run Quick Jagger back to some of his best form, and felt the chaser would be able to gain confidence from getting a clear run in the 515m event.
If Quick Jagger performs to expectations in the Speed Star, he will continue on to the Sandown Cup, where he would likely clash with Rippin’ Sam again.
Meanwhile, Townsend is confident West On Augie will recapture his best form when he lines up in the second heat of the WA Derby at Cannington on Saturday night.
West On Augie was a short price favourite in the final of the Mandurah Derby last Friday night, but had little luck in the home straight, and could only manage a seventh place finish.
Townsend said the chaser deserved a shot at redemption in the heats of the Group 2 event.
“Last week, It’s The Horse, who is quite fast early, around the corner kept drifting in and that stopped his momentum,” he said.
“It gave the opportunity for the backmarkers to come home strong.
“The race on Saturday will be more to his liking.”
West On Augie opened a $1.22 favourite on TABtouch, ahead of Victorian visitor Aeroplane Tippa.
Quick Jagger’s heat of the Speed Star takes place at 5.51 on Thursday evening, while West On Augie’s WA Derby heat jumps at 8.52 on Saturday night.
Tim Walker