Horace Hones In On Grafton Carnival Riches

FRANK Hancock has had too many “very good” greyhounds to be quick to label youngster Horace.

But he is willing to say the son of Black Magic Opal and Lady Abigail is “very good, in fact he's very, very good”.

Horace was sensational in winning his heat of a 0-3 wins series at Grafton's opening night on Monday in a best of the night 25.23 over the 450 metres.

He goes into the final of that series on Friday as the raging hot favourite at $1.60.

Monday's night win was his fourth from eight starts and he is already a winner at Albion Park in 22.61 and at Lismore in a flying 29.68.

“I set him for this race and he will stay at Grafton for the immediate future,” Frank said.

“But the Sprinters Cup coming up during the July Carnival will be his target.

“I don't want to get carried away about him, but yes he is very, very good.”

Horace reeled off a scorching 9.04 first section in his heat, well ahead of his rivals in Friday night's finale.

“And he got to 68 kilometres an hour during the run,” said Frank. “Now that's impressive.”

Hancock kept all seven of the Black Magic Opal and Lady Abigail litter and rates them all better than handy.

Six of the seven have already won races.

“We'll be taking them down to Grafton as well,” he said. “It's a beautiful track. I love it.”

Lady Abigail, dam of Horace, is a daughter of Where's Pedro and Tweed Galaxy champ Pretty Malaika.

She was second in the G3 Gold Coast Cup and a finalist in the G1 Brisbane Cup, G2 Lismore Gold Cup and G3 Flying Amy Classic.

Hancock has already bought semen for Collision to use on her when she next comes on season.

Hancock would not pick a main danger for Horace on Friday but said the wide draw in seven would not bother his dog in the slightest.

Other heat winners were Outback Ranger in 25.47 and Peltzer in 25.74.

Winning connections of Friday's finale will take home $7,500.