There were few surprises in the heats of Dubbo Greyhound Racing Club’s prestigious Lesley Ann Leonard Series (400m) on Thursday, leaving one winning trainer to say the final will all come down to the box draw.
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One of the most time-honoured events at Dawson Park, the Lesley Ann Leonard Series is for dogs who have only won 0-3 races but it always attracts talented runners.
Thursday’s heats were no different with Dennis Barnes’ Nangar Rock setting the fastest time of 22.50 while Paul Braddon’s Falcon’s Fury won his heat in 22.52.
The seventh and final heat of the afternoon was won from box two by Mr. Blake Us, and trainer Craig Ryan Snr said if his dog could draw an inside box again in the final then he was a chance.
“It’s good to be in the final but there’s a lot of good dogs in it,” he said.
“It depends on the box draw, if we get a good box we’re a chance just like everyone else.”
The impressive heat win, set up by a blistering jump from the box, was a welcome return to form for the talented Mr. Blake Us.
After a win and a second at Bathurst, the progeny of Zulu Zeus and Kaliska fell at Coonamble before finishing sixth at Goulburn.
But back on his home track saw Mr. Blake Us ($4.10) fly out of the box and immediately build a lead of two lengths over Charmaine Roberts’ Adele Keeping ($2.10 favourite) and Bundah ($4.90).
In his first race over 400m, Mr. Blake Us went on with the job and won by four-and-a-half lengths from Adele Keeping while Just Getting By ($28.40) was three-and-a-half lengths back in third.
“He comes out of the boxes well and the inside box helped,” Ryan said after the 22.74 win.
“I think being back at Dubbo, his home track, helped and he got his confidence back.
“Last start he pulled back a bit after the fall and I’ve been racing him on tracks where he never trialled at and that was a mistake. Being back at Dubbo, he’s trialled here, so he went well.”
Nangar Rock and Falcon’s Fury were the most impressive winners in the heats and will no doubt rank as the favourites in next Thursday’s $4,000 final.
Nangar Rock ($1.40 favourite) powered to a mammoth sixteen-and-three-quarter length win while Falcon’s Fury ($1.30) cruised to a five-and-three-quarter length win.
Mousey McCoy, Zippity Zarr, Dana Scar and Express Cash were the other winners and immediately qualified for the final.
Bryan Garland scored a double on Thursday, with Bindigo Lad ($11.60) and Deb Dream ($4.10) winning their respective events.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
