Hobby holding a strong hand for Boxing Day Festivities!
Leading WA Trainer David Hobby has made a rare venture to the east coast with a few of his kennel’s pin-up dogs and faces one of the most exciting few hours of his career within the sport on Saturday night.
Zack Monelli is lining up as a live hope in the Group 1 Gold 98.3 FM Sale Cup Final while his young guns Sunset Spitfire and Sunset Toxic have drawn favourably in their respective heats of the Group 1 Feikuai Greyhounds Silver Chief at the Meadows.
Zack Monelli has drawn to advantage in box three in the Sale Cup final over the 650 metre journey. He was having his first race start at the circuit last week when he set some hot fractions prior to being run down in the shadows of the post by the very talented Christo Bale.
Zack was beaten just half a length and his overall time of 36.96 seconds was bettered only by Houdini Boy who was the fastest qualifier in 36.78 seconds and Christo Bale who won Zack’s heat in 36.92 seconds.
It was the first time the son of Barcia Bale and Penny Monelli has stretched out further than 600 metres in his 33 start career and it could be argued he will take great benefit for the experience.
Zack Monelli signalled he was back to his brilliant best at his last start in WA prior to heading across to Victoria. His 29.39 second victory over the 520 metres rates in the top handful of fastest runs ever clocked at Cannington.
From box three Zack Monelli should again land in to a prominent position in the Group 1 Classic final and from there he can be expected to give a wonderful sight.
The TABtouch Fixed odds market on the Sale Cup sees Houdini Boy at $2.35, Christo Bale at $4.60, Zack Monelli at $4.80, Bobby The Brute at $12, Weblec Ace at $13, Arizona Eyes and Last Hurrah at $14 with I’m Easy Boys the $17 outsider of the field.
The Sale Cup will be broadcast live on TAB Radio at 6.13pm WST on Saturday night.
Earlier in the afternoon Hobby heads to the Meadows where he has a two-pronged attack in heats of the Group 1 Feikuai Greyhounds Silver Chief.
The unbeaten Sunset Spitfire set the Meadows track alight in a trial between races last Saturday night stopping the clock in a sizzling 29.52 seconds. To put the time in to perspective the best of meeting time on the night was 29.78 seconds.
Sunset Spitfire’s talented littermate Sunset Toxic also handled the Meadows 525 metre journey nicely in a solo trial in between races cruising around in 29.88 seconds.
Sunset Toxic is engaged in the first of the Silver Chief heats at 3.47pm WST and has come up with the coveted box one draw.
The winner at 9 of his 17 lifetime starts has excellent early pace and was a recent Cannington winner in a slick 29.71 seconds.
The TABtouch market on the first heat sees Mr. America in box two a popular favourite firming from $1.95 in to $1.75 while Sunset Toxic has firmed from $3.40 in to $3.10.
Gun youngster Sunset Spitfire is undefeated after his 12 lifetime starts and the times he has run for the vast majority of those starts sit in rare air.
Spitfire will exit box three and has been smashed at the short odds since markets opened on the 4th heat which takes place at 4.47pm WA time.
Sunset Spitfire opened at $1.36 and has trimmed right in to the prohibitive quote of $1.22 with the next best in betting Utah Blues at $7.50 and Kuro Kismet at $8.50.
In the pre-post market with TABtouch to win the Silver Chief overall Sunset Spitfire has been the medium of very strong support and over the last month his price has firmed from $11 in to the current quote of $2.50 which sees him as the clear cut favourite.
Sunset Toxic has also had some specking in the All-In Silver Chief market firming from $34 in to $26.
Good luck to Dave Hobby with all three of his charges on Boxing Day – there will be plenty of sandgropers cheering hard for his trio of chasers.
Finally to all of the readers wishing you all a very happy and safe Christmas and many winners for 2021.
2020 has thrown up many challenges but the WA Greyhound Racing Industry can be very proud of the way they have adapted and continued to flourish.
Here’s to more great times for the sport in the new year.
David Shortte