Moment To Jive To Carry Local WA Hopes In Rich Sandown Feature
24 May, 2018
Greyhound
Matt Lanigan is adamant popular Western Australian chaser Moment To Jive deserves a chance to prove her credentials in the Group 1 Sandown Cup (715m) on Thursday.
Moment To Jive is rated an outside chance in the rich feature with Tornado Tears and Rippin Sam, one of four starters for trainer Rob Britton, sitting one-two in TAB markets.
The $250,000 Sandown Cup is renowned as a test of speed, tenacity and stamina and holds status as the world’s richest race for greyhound stayers.
Lanigan is confident Moment To Jive will aquit herself proudly.
“She has now made the three biggest staying races in Australia, the Bold Trease, the Galaxy and now this, the Sandown Cup” Lanigan told Tabradio’s The Sports Daily.
“She definitely deserves to be there and if she can settle in the top three early they know she will be coming for sure.
“If she can get clear running around the first corner I really think she can run them down.
“She’s proven she’s up to the class and I know she will give everything she has got and that’s all anyone can ask of her.”
Tornado Tears ($1.80) and Rippin’ Sam ($3.40) have drawn box seven and eight respectively with Moment To Jive to jump from six.
Tornado Tears and Rippin Sam are two of the most exciting young stayers in Australia. The former holds bragging rights after defeating his kennelmate by six lengths in the fastest qualifying time last week.
But Lanigan, deputising for trainer Sarah Appleton, who celebrated the birth of her second child last week, said Rippin Sam’s staying experience will prove an asset.
“I’ve heard other people say he (Tornado Tears) might be the best stayer that we have ever seen and from what he has produced so far he is definitely on the right track,” Lanigan said.
“The main danger will be Rippin’ Sam who has been running 700s for four and five months and he does it with ease.”
Lanigan is also banking on history repeating in the Sandown Cup with Moment To Jive the only female to qualify for the final.
“The last six winners have been bitches, so hopefully that trend can continue tonight,” Lanigan said.
Moment To Jive and Quick Jagger will carry local WA hopes in the Sandown Cup.
Britton, who won last year’s Sandown Cup with Fanta Bale, is overseeing Quick Jagger’s Melbourne campaign.
Julio Santarelli