WA Star Launches Thunderbolt Raid In Style

IT didn't take premier WA trainer Dave Hobby long to realise 350m racing at Grafton is all about drawing near the rails and beginning like a rocket.

Hobby has three Barcia Bale-Flake Monelli litter brothers, track stars Crumble Monelli, Custard Monelli and Pudding Monelli, on a working holiday in Queensland.

But he headed to Grafton for the heats of The Thunderbolt on Sunday night.

“I trialled them on the previous Monday and they went fine,” he said.

“But Grafton over 350 metres means drawing an inside box and getting out quick.”

Both Crumble Monelli and Custard Monelli were slow away and last at an early stage of their races.

Vamoose was the fastest qualifier from tonight's heats of The Thunderbolt at Grafton, running 17.79 and laying down the gauntlet ahead of the June 18 semi-finals.

Crumble Monelli, Rushforth Ally and Cash Destroyer join him as the last four dogs to advance…#thedogs pic.twitter.com/U5KtQWMJIC

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) June 11, 2023

Crumble Monelli, winner of 19 races and $515,000 in stakes, stormed home to win his The Thunderbolt heat in 20.13 as the $1.95 favourite beating Steel Gambler and Magic Secret.

Custard Monelli chased home tearaway leader, Sue Smith's Vamoose, beaten five and a half lengths in 19.79 with Steve Rolph's Cobblepot in third.

Des Winters' Rushforth Ally ran 19.90 to win his heat over Vencedor and Running Reds, while Robert Cooke's Cash Destroyer ran 20.00 to beat Super Shanks and Impress Dressel in the other heat.

Hobby said Grafton 350 metre racing “all comes down to luck”.

But, he was all so impressed with Crumble Monelli's effort to win.

“I thought it was one of his toughest wins,” he said.

Crumble Monelli was last early, pushed to the rails into the first turn, but dashed through a gap at the top of the straight and won convincingly.

He has already proven himself back home in WA winning the inaugural running of The Sandgroper, the G2 WA Derby, the G2 Birthday Cup, the Listed WA Puppy Classic, Listed Canning Trophy and the Listed Dorsa Memorial.

Hobby will run Crumble Monelli through the semi-finals of The Thunderbolt on Sunday and then turn his sights on the Group 1 Brisbane Cup at Albion Park for all three brothers.