Birthday Cup for Birthday Boy?
Trainer Shayne Williams will be looking for a unique Birthday present tonight at Mandurah when his runners Blackpool Flash and Blackpool Ammo compete in the Group 3 Mandurah Mail Birthday Cup final over 405 metres.
Williams who celebrates his Birthday today heads in to the final with two former Victorian speedsters who have done a tremendous job since joining his team.
Blackpool Flash has won all five starts at the Mandurah 405 metre circuit and has set up those victories with dazzling early sectionals – all of them in the sub 6.50 mark which is unprecedented.
From box two Blackpool Flash will again be looking to use that raw speed to advantage and roll to the top in the early stages. He led all the way last week in his heat holding out the strong finishing burst of Fernando Star to stop the clock in a time of 22.34 seconds.
The son of Fernando Bale and Lochinvar Amour has won 14 of his 23 career starts and looks one of the key players heading in to tonight’s feature.
The second of the Williams runners is Blackpool Ammo who led throughout to win his heat in 22.60 seconds.
Like Blackpool Flash the feature of Blackpool Ammo’s racing is his early burn. He has won 21 of his 55 starts with a further 21 placings.
On the clock Blackpool Flash has a significant edge over his kennelmate and looks the main hope for a Birthday spoil for Williams.
The race is incredibly deep however and the winner will be forced to earn the success.
In box one the Krystal Shinners trained Canya Cruise is a major player. The former Queenslander has won 4 of his 7 starts over the 405 metres at Mandurah and was the fastest qualifier running a best of night time of 22.29 seconds when beating Veyron Star by more than 5 lengths.
Shinners also has the very talented Buster The Brute engaged who ran second behind Withers Monelli in his heat. The box draw in six does look sticky for him however on paper.
If there was to be some jamming up front Fernando Star, Quartararo and Withers Monelli, all of whom are regulars in longer distance events would be sure to be hitting the line with gusto.
It is one of the deepest Birthday Cup finals in many years and shapes as a stellar feature final.
I ended up tipping Blackpool Flash on top with the thought process that his early zip could see him up front giving them something to chase. It could be the ultimate Birthday present in store for the Shayne Train!
Earlier in the night Williams has the very talented Rippin’ Memphis engaged in a Country Grade 5/6 event. The daughter of Fernando Bale and Rippin Rose has won 3 of her 14 starts and looks a very strong winning hope.
The other highlight on the program will be the return to WA chasing of Zack Monelli.
Zack Monelli ran a slashing second in a heat of the Sale Cup and last Saturday night at the Meadows he was superb when coming from well off them to win a Grade 5 in a near best of night time of 29.73 seconds.
David Shortte