Scene Set For Group 1 Double-Header

THE scene is set for two sensational group 1s next Saturday night after the running of the Vic Peters and Peter Mosman heats on Saturday.

Jeff Collerson02 July 2022

JOSHUA Board has held a trainer's licence for only 12 months and Spring Elegance, his first greyhound who presented him with his first winner in October, has now bounded into the final of the group 1 Ladbrokes Peter Mosman Opal at Wentworth Park.

On Saturday night Spring Elegance took out heat one in 30.08 after trailing Jason Mackay's Fat Boy's Dream to the home bend before finishing fast along the rails to score by a half length.

After the race Joshua's father Scott Board said: “We bred Spring Elegance from Spring Catch, who was trained by my father Greg and who had only seven starts for four wins.

“Spring Catch had a bad wrist injury as a puppy and we thought she would be unlikely to race but she managed a brief but successful career.

“But we were always going to breed from her because her sister Spring Falcon made three group finals at New Zealand and their mother Spring Leaf was a group one performer who won 17 races.

“Spring Elegance is from Spring Catch's first litter, sired by Fernando Bale and she has now won five of her 12 races.”

2022 Ladbrokes Vic Peters Final box draw has been conducted.@ladbrokescomau @tabcomau @sportsbetcomau pic.twitter.com/R1bahNIsaY

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) July 2, 2022

Fastest time of the Peter Mosman Heats was posted by Sam Sultana's marvelously consistent Yuko Girl, who was sent out a hot favourite from her rails draw and led throughout to win Heat three in 29.90.

Yuko Girl's win took her Wentworth Park tally to seven wins from 14 starts with Saturday's success her fourth from her past five appearances.

Her sole defeat over the past month was when she finished fifth to Good Odds Cash in the Ladbrokes Richmond Oaks on June 24.

Fascinate Mel, who led throughout in the second Peter Mosman Opal Heat, has inherited the early speed and box manners of her mother, Fascinate Mary.

After Fascinate Mel's all the way win in 30.31 on Saturday night, owner-trainer-breeder Noelene Holloway said: “Fascinate Mary won 22 races but was at her best over distances from 280m to 400m.

“She was a good short course bitch and Fascinate Mel, who is a member of her third, and best litter, has her early pace but can run 520 metres.

“She made the pace when she finished fourth at her previous Wentworth Park 520m race on June 25, but despite the rain tonight the track was faster which suited her.

“It wasn't as boggy as it was last week and that suited Fascinate Mel who is not only a front runner but who is extra keen.”

Victorian-trained greyhounds have won five of the past 15 Vic Peters Classics and gained their first 2022 finalist when the Daniel Pell-trained Flight Risk led all way from box one to win Heat one in 30.11.

Box Draw has been conducted for the 2022 Ladbrokes Peter Mosman Opal Final@ladbrokescomau @tabcomau @sportsbetcomau pic.twitter.com/b2sBasTTNm

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) July 2, 2022

Flight Risk contested the early lead with Simply Limelight but as predicted by his trainer the Victorian dog wanted to shift wide and bumped his rival out of the way to skip clear going through the catching pen.

Flight Risk went into the Heats without having seen the track so could be able to improve on his time in Saturday's $75,000 to the winner final.

The same applies to his kennelmate and litter brother Red Reactor, who was having his first look at Wentworth Park when he trailed The Thunderbolt winner Integrity Mate to the back straight before hitting the front on the home turn to win Heat three by a length in 30.21.

In a pre-race interview on The Dogs website prior to the race, trainer Daniel Pell rated Red Reactor his best chance, saying “he will rail like a demon and is very strong at the finish.”

Heat two provided a nail-biting finish with We Don't Share, trained by Jodie Lord for media personality Mark Duclos, coming from third on the home bend to score by three-quarters of a length in 30.32 from dead-Heaters Canya Wilder and Cumbria Days.

Return Mac, who was in front at the top of the straight, was a nose away fourth.