Happy Chap Zarr was able to put the distractions of home behind him when taking out the Ladbrokes Cash Out Final (318m).
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Trained by John Horan at Wellington, Happy Chap Zarr entered the final a $7 chance but bolted from box four and went on to win the $1500 event by a length.
“I’ve got a couple of bitches at home at the moment in season so it was a good win because normally all they can think about is the ones in season but he put all that behind him and raced today so that was a good thing,” Horan said after the win, recorded in a time of 22.54.
“Sometimes he’ll come out last and try and rattle home but when he jumps out in front he can run a bit of a time.
“He’s run a (22 seconds and) 20 here. He ran a 54 today and that doesn’t seem like a lot but it’s a lot in a dog race.”
Happy Chap Zarr won his heat last week but much of the attention heading into the final was on Paul Britt’s trio of Cougar County ($3.70), Super Boot ($4.40) and Hazard County ($6.40).
Happy Chap Zarr flew out of the box, his 4.74 the fastest first sectional of the day, and while Cougar Country and a fast-moving Nagar Jet ($5.80) threatened early on, Horan’s hope got the inside run into the bend.
Nangar Jet went wide and Happy Chap Zarr was able to boot home and take his record to nine wins and 21 placings from 45 career starts.
Three wins have now come in the past five starts.
“He got out well and came home too strong for them,” Horan said.
“He’s a good little dog and he’s a bit inconsistent at the start but when he comes out (well) he’s always hard to beat.”
Nangar Jet was second while Cougar County was third.
In a meeting which started at the earlier time of 10am in order to avoid the hottest part of the day, Brian Bush the only trainer to finish the meeting with a double.
Bush had both Come On Jen and Come On Shaz score victory.
Come On Jen took out the day’s opening event, the NJK Constructions Maiden (400m), in a time of 23.44.
Bush was made to wait for his next win but Come On Shaz scored in the day’s seventh event, the Paul Wasson Electrical Stakes (400m).
Leading Dubbo trainer Charmaine Roberts scored her regular victory, with Baracca Keeping winning the R Slapp Co Canvas Works Stakes (400m).
Veteran Baracca Keeping, paying $3.60), now has 20 wins and placings from 95 starts.