RACING WRAP

Racing Wrap 4^th May 2025

Racing was at Cambridge Raceway, courtesy of Cambridge Raceway and the Waikato GRC

Performance of the Day                       Hunter Lou

Hunter Lou, who gained a start off the reserve bench, after starting from box five sat outside Opawa Stayer through the first section in 14.33. Applying the afterburners across the top he spread the field. Maintaining a strong gallop, he had a two-length margin at the winning post.

Trained by Ross & Lynne Udy, he was the subject of solid support on the tote when racing on the downgrade at Manukau on the 19^th April. The Punters who stuck with him were well rewarded with SP $5.50.

Noteworthy Performances

·          Boom lateral

Boom Lateral’s stamina was to the forefront when cleared out to win the Veteran’s Race by 3 ½ lengths in 21.55. his 6.67 run home time being the fastest run home of the day. In January he won the Auckland Stayers Cup (779m).

 Trainer Rob Roper is currently enjoying a golden run at Cambridge, four winners from his last twelve starters.

 ·         Aces

Aces, who is thriving on racing, extended his winning streak to four with a dominant win in the C2 All The News At Trackside Sprint. His time 21.29 (BOD 21.14) indicates that he can extend this winning streak. On Thursday night he can collect a Bonus C2 win.

 ·         Portland Ding Us

Portland Ding Us made it two wins for the week when winning the Hewlett Electrical Sprint(C5) in 21.14 (PBT 21.02). He is becoming an ATM for Tracey & Lisa Craik and the Sparkle and Fade Syndicate with 15 wins and stake earning s of $44k from 53 starts.

 Times

375m                  Best of Day                      Portland Ding Us                                                          21.14

                             First Section                    Opawa Stayer                                                                14.33

                             Run Home                         Boom Lateral                                                                  6.77

457m                 Best of the Day               Thrilling Muse                                                                25.66

                             Run Home                         Gone Walkabout                                                             6.88

 Trainers         4 Wins:                       Jared Udy & Neissy Cottam

   2 Wins                        Mark & John Smith

Dog to Follow

Epic Pepper

Watch out for Epic Pepper (SP $39) back at Manukau. Fresh up since November 2025, she caught the eye parked outside the pacemaker, Suppose, and kicked on along the rail to hold second placing.

Racing Wrap 19^th April 2025

Performance of the Day                       Wild Pansy

The Hewlett Electrical Sprint (C5) was tailormade for Wild Pansy. Hunter Karen led a bunched field through the first section in a sedate 4.60, with Wild Pansy lurching around the outside of the pack. Through the bend Wild Pansy sustained her run and took control of the race, scooting away to win in by 2 ½ lengths in an 18.47 (BOD) Her run home a slick 13.87.

The win was Wild Pansy fifth win from ten starts at the Manukau Stadium since joining Ross & Lynne Udy’s team in January.

Noteworthy Performances

·          Hattrick of Wins

Three kennels reaped all the Easter Treats by training three winners on the day.

·         Ron & Nyomi O’Regan – Tilly Wormwood, Bear O’Clock and Big Time Bumper

·         Mark & John Smith – Joe Bananas, Gone Walkabout and Sakura

·         Jared Udy & Neissy Cottam – Aces, Thrilling Nash & Waerenga Soni

For Big Time Bumper it was his first win on the track in twenty-six starts.

 ·         Aces

Aces received a saloon passage on the inside of Opawa Hipkin and kicked clear to record a strong win in 18.77 (ST 18.84). It also two wins in the week for the Jared Udy & Neissy Cottam trained runner, having won at Cambridge on Wednesday.

 Times

318m                  Best of Day                     Wild Pansy                                                                 18.47

                            First Section                   Foxtrot Mila & Waerenga Nova                              4.58

                            Run Home                       Wild Pansy                                                                 13.87

527m                Best of the Day              Gone Walkabout                                                       30.79

                            Run Home                       Gone Walkabout                                                       15.03

 Trainers         3 Wins:                       Ron & Nyomi O’Regan, Mark & John Smith and  Jared Udy & Neissy Cotta

Dog to Follow

Bay Flyer

Bay Flyer recaptured his form with a strong win in the C4 sprint. Previously once on form he was a dominant force.

Racing Wrap 13^th April 2025

Performance of the Day                       Go Cooper

Go Cooper made it three wins in ten days when clearing out to win the C3 Pump & Engineering Stake by 2½ lengths.

Having recorded a strong win in a quality restricted age race at Cambridge on Thursday night, the Bookies had him at compressed odds. After a tardy start he weaved a path through the field to take control of the race from Big Time Central in the back straight and applied the afterburners to clear the field. His winning time of 30.91 was just outside his PBT 30.90, the run home 15.05.

Go Cooper is raced by Opawa Racing Limited and Sam Lozell and trained at Putaruru by Sam.

Noteworthy Performances

·         Phil’s Hattrick

Phi Green enjoyed a hat-trick of wins on the day, namely You Turn, Foxtrot Mila and You Pick One, to the delight of the punters.

 Phil is no stranger to training three winners in a day but having reduced the size of his team in recent years, this was a special day. Sunday’s runners took his total number of starters at the Manukau Stadium to 69 where in recent seasons he would have lined up 200-300 runners. His UDR for the season is a .3768, second on the Manukau Stadium’ Trainers Table.

 ·         Big Time Lena

It was advantage to the wide runner in the Hewlett Electrical Sprint. Big Time Lena avoided the mid race shuffle, and powered home down the middle of the track to grab victory from Hunter Karen and Just One Grin. Trained by Peter Heterick for Stacey McCarthy this was a well-deserved win. Big Time Lena’s most recent win was in the Silver Bracelet on Auckland Cup Day.

 ·         Big Time Lockey, a Living Billboard

Big Time Lockey, the silent achiever, won his 11^th race for the season (career 22 wins) and has season stake earnings of $20k.

 When the AGRC introduced the SPECA Veterans’ Races in July 2024 Big Time Lockey’s career was in a tailspin. He had recently joined Ron & Nyomi’s kennel, from Team Cole., He had the ‘Gold Card’ but was graded at C3 and regularly sat on the reserve bench. Finally in September he downgraded to C1 and qualified for the SPECA Veterans’ Races.

 The downgrade reignited his racing career and he is now 14^th on the GRNZ’s Greyhound of the Year Table (based on wins), with 11 wins. While he will not feature in the Nominees list for the GRNZ Annual Award he is the billboard for ‘Our Dogs Love to Race campaign.

 Times

318m                 Best of Day                       Wild Pansy                                                                      18.45

                            First Section                    Dynamic Kiwi                                                                   4.55

                            Run Home                         Wild Pansy                                                                     13.86

527m                 Best of the Day               Unique Sunrise                                                             30.79

                             Run Home                        Unique Sunrise                                                             15.03

 Trainers         3 Wins:                       Phil Green

  Wins                        Sam Lozell and Jared Udy & Neissy Cottam

Dog to Follow

Highs And Lows

Highs And Lows will derive huge benefits for his race debut.

Racing Wrap 30^th March 2025

Performance of the Day                       Just One Grin

Just One Grin turned the Hewlett Electrica Sprint into a one act affair. He stepped in front and after cutting out the first section in 4.48, he charged to the winning post in a very slick 13.69 run home time. The overall time was 18.17 just outside his PBT of 18.16.

Only three other dogs have won in 18.17 or better this season, namely Jerry Cola 18.06, Everest Sky (18.14) and Hunter Lou (18.17). So, this performance rated in the top five fastest sprints at the Manukau Stadium this season. What made performance even more meritorious was the track was running outside ST in all other grades.

Just On Grin is trained by Tracey & Lisa Craik who enjoyed a wonderful day at the office with Portland Nicky, Ingratiate and Portland Mark also winning on the day.

Noteworthy Performances

·         You Turn

You Turn benefited from his first race day appearance spreadeagling the CO sprint winning by 8½ lengths, his time 18.80 was well under the 18.86 ST.

 You Turn is the first winner for the Bernardo-Victoria Lu litter, Victoria Lu being a Silver Bracelet winner. Trained by Phil Green for owners Faye Lockhart and the Estate of Ray Adcock.

 ·         Boom Lateral

The Auckland Stayers Cup winner, Boom Lateral made it back-to-back wins at the Manukau Stadium when he turned to the C1 527m race into a romp in the park. His 30.72 winning time is well under the 30.90 ST.

 ·         Epic In Trouble

Epic In Trouble chalked up the hattrick of wins at the Manukau Stadium when taking out the All The News at Trackside (C2) Sprint in 18.76. While she enjoyed a saloon rails passage early in the race, she drifted off the rail into the straight and had to dig deep ton reserves to peg back Youtan Poluo.

 Times

318m                     Best of Day                      Just One Grin                                                                   18.17

                               First Section                    Just One Grin                                                                    4.48

                               Run Home                         Portland Mark                                                                13.68

527m                    Best of the Day               Boom Lateral                                                                  30.72

                               Run Home                        Boom Lateral                                                                  14.84

 Trainers            4 Wins:    Tracey & Lisa Craik

     2 Wins     Ron & Nyomi O’Regan and Rob Roper

 

Dog to Follow

Aldebaran

The money (SP $1.60) came for Aldebaran, who was racing on the downgrade, but he could not withstand the powerful finishing sprint of Big Time Walter.

Racing Wrap 23^rd March 2025

Performance of the Day                       Wild Pansy

Wild Pansy racing in a C5/4 took advantage of racing away from the Northern Region’s best sprinters to score a decisive win. Starting from box 8 in a competitive race in the opening section she applied the afterburners and took control of the race into the bend. Thereafter, it was race over and she won by an ever increasing 4 lengths. Her 18.35 winning time was Best of the Day and included a slick 13.74 run home.

This was her third win at Manukau since purchased by Alan Bear and joining the Ross & Lynne Udy Kennel after the Auckland Cup Carnival.

Noteworthy Performances

·         The ‘Smith Show’ Rolls On

Sakura kicked to hold the rails run into the first turn and thereafter she toyed with opposition to race away and gain her first middle distance win. Her 30.75 was well under the 30.85 (ST) for C2 dogs. Other winners for Mark & John Smith on the day were Gone Walkabout, who graduated to C5, and Not Like Us.

 ·         Portland Nicky

The money came for Portland Nicky and once the boxes opened her supporters could quickly head to the payout queue. Trained by Tracey & Lisa Craik Portland Nicky was having her first race day appearance since the 5^th December 2024 and she had a class edge on the opposition in the Our Dogs Love to Race Sprint (C2/1) winning in an 18.62 (ST 18.75).

 ·         Waerenga Nova

Waerenga Nova scored her 15^th win at the Manukau Stadium when she dug deep to win the All The News at Trackside Sprint (C3). Whilst in greyhound terms she has held a ‘gold card’ for a while she retains the box speed to regularly feature in the quickest first sectional times list at the Manukau. Stadium. Trained by Jared Udy & Neissy Cottam her stake earnings now exceed $32K.

 Times

318m                     Best of Day                      Wild Pansy                                                              18.35

                                First Section                   Waerenga Nova                                                       4.57

                                Run Home                       Wild Pansy                                                              13.74

527m                    Best of the Day              Gone Walkabout                                                    30.59

                               Run Home                        Gone Walkabout                                                    14.91

Trainers              3 Wins:                           Mark & John Smith

     2 Wins                            Tracey & Lisa Craik and Jared Udy & Neissy Cottam

      Milestones                     Sean Codlin 60^th win for season

            Rob Roper 30^th win for season/ 20^th win at Manukau.

                                                                  Peter Heterick 20^th win at Manukau.

Dog to Follow

Hunter Lou

Hunter Lou will benefit from his first race day start 30 days. Plus, he will be racing on the downgrade.

Racing Wrap 16^th March 2025

Performance of the Day                       Thrilling Wilma

Thrilling Wilma, once clear of the pack steadily made ground through the bend. On straightening she shifted wider on the track and stormed home to pick up the two speedsters, Waerenga Nova and You Pick One, within the shadows of the winning post.

This was Thrilling Wilma’s 13^th win and took her earnings to $31k. Trained by Danialle Elder for the Green. Smith Bright & Mcleod Syndicate. An ownership group that also enjoyed wins on the day with Unique Sunrise and Shadowed.

Noteworthy Performances

·         Just Loves to Win

Just One Grin made it three wins in eight days when taking out the Hewlett Electrical Sprint (C5) in an 18.39. Race caller Aaron White aptly summed the feat up by saying Just One Grin just ‘loves to win.’

 ·         Hunter George

Hunter George proved too strong as he sprinted clear to win in the All The News at Trackside Series Final in 18.63. While he is wide runner destined for C5 ranks he continues to wander all over the track in the straight. Trainer Rob Roper had two winners on the day the other Big Time Hinda, who recently resumed racing after an enforced layoff winning the last race.

 ·         Unique Sunrise

Unique Sunrise won the Mt Wellington TAB Stakes on the first turn when he held the lead over Spin Black. He held a strong gallop throughout to score a strong win in a 30.59 (ST 30.77). His win made it the 20^th win for Mark & John Smith for the season at the Manukau Stadium, equaling their 2023/24 total.

 Times

318m                     Best of Day                     Just One Grin                                                                 18.39

                               First Section                   Waerenga Nova & Go Amber                                      4.58

                               Run Home                       Just One Grin                                                                 13.79

527m                    Best of the Day              Unique Sunrise                                                             30.59

                               Run Home                       Unique Sunrise                                                             15.00

Trainers          3 Wins:                       Mark & John Smith

2 Wins                        Tracey & Lisa Craik, Ron & Nyomi O’Regan and Robert Roper

 

Dog to Follow

Not Another

Not Another was making ground late after jostling for racing room early.