Shima Bar, having only his 13th race and at 23 months of age among the “babies” of the field, gave all conquering Victorian trainer Andrea Dailly yet another Group 1 victory in Saturday night’s Ladbrokes Paws Of Thunder at Wentworth Park.
Shima Bar ($3.10), who is eligible for next Saturday’s Group 1 National Derby heats in Sydney, trailed the Jason Magri-trained Clock’s Ticking ($9.80) for most of the race, but swept to the lead at the top of the straight for two lengths win.
Clock’s Ticking was runner-up with another NSW-trained greyhound, the Paul Braddon-prepared Falcon’s Fury ($4.20), a luckless third, one-and-a-half lengths away.
Falcon’s Fury, a near foolproof beginner until overcoming a slow start to win his Thunder heat on January 14, missed the jump again.
After joining Shima Bar in second spot at the first turn, Falcon’s Fury lost all chance when the ultimate winner shifted wide and checked the local star.
Striker Light did not begin with her usual brilliance and after colliding with Blabba Mouth soon after the start, was never a chance and finished fifth.
After the race Shima Bar’s part-owner David Gleeson paid his youngster the ultimate tribute, rating him superior to his dam Shimaguni and Shima Song, the Thunder winner’s older half-sister.
Gleeson and fellow part-owner Bob Cummings won 21 of 42 races with Shimaguni while Shima Song has won 20 from 47 appearances.
“Shima Bar is faster than either of them,” Gleeson said after Saturday night’s win. “Bob Cummings and I have bred and raced greyhounds in partnership for 40 years and we have never had a cross word.”
Dublin Bull ($20.10) completed a big night for Victoria and trainer Jeff Britton when he scored an upset all-the-way win in Saturday’s other group race, the group 2 Ladbrokes Summer Plate final, 720m.
Dublin Bull had led to the home bend but faded to finish fourth to It’s A Fling in his heat, but after making the pace again in the final went to the line solidly to score by two lengths.
Odds-on favourite Burn One Down ($1.50) and the Michael Eberand-trained Ebby Ripper ($8.40) flashed home late to take out the placings, but all honours were with the winner.
“The track was faster in the final than it was for the heats and the quicker surface suited a front-runner like Dublin Bull,” Britton said later.
“He is not a true stayer but he is partial to Wentworth Park and when he jumped to the front on a dry track he was always going to improve on his heat run.”
The Britton kennel won a treble on Saturday, with National Derby hopeful Alpha Lucky winning a 520m fifth grade in 30.03 and Britton’s partner Angela Langton’s Kumbia Lass, a National Futurity candidate, leading throughout in a similar grade in 30.08.
Ebby Ripper’s trainer Michael Eberand, disappointed when Barking Bad was run down by Shima Bar in his Paws Of Thunder heat, picked up a consolation $15,000 when that greyhound took out Saturday night’s The Collerson (520m).
Barking Bad was slowly away but railed into second position entering the back straight and roared past pacemaker Mainline Osti leaving the back straight to win by nearly five lengths.
Ironically Barking Bad’s time for the 520m, 29.78, was much quicker than the 29.92 posted by Shima Bar in the Thunder final.
“I was not happy with his Paws Of Thunder heat run so I brought Barking Bad back to Wentworth Park last Tuesday night and gave him another look at the track,” Eberand said later.
“Normally I would not do that so close to a race but it made the difference to Barking Bad tonight,” Eberand said.
After the placed runners in the Paws the field finished in the following order Brad Hill Billy ($6.70), Striker Light ($3.60), Blabba Mouth ($27.80), Lowanna’s Son ($28.90) and Magic Lace ($38.60).
Shima Bar is a Black dog whelped February 2015 by Barcia Bale from Shimaguni (Primo Uno x Messines). Shima Bar is raced by David Gleeson & Bob Cummings and trained by Andrea Dailly at Corio in Victoria. He has raced 13 times for nine wins and two placings. After adding the $75,000 first prize for the Paws of Thunder his stake earnings stand at $98,915.
After the placings in the Summer Plate the field finished in the following order Runaway Bono ($6.50), Miss Foxy Lee ($18.80), Celestial Folk ($46.30), It’s A Fling ($12.50) and Very Choosy ($15.20).
Dublin Bull is a Black dog whelped October 2013 by Barcia Bale from Chasin The Dream (Lonesome Cry x Dreamy Blossom). Dublin Bull is raced by Steven Hynes and trained by Jeff Britton of Anakie in Victoria. He has raced 69 times for 20 wins and 13 placings. His stake earnings stand at $157,853.
Listed below are the past winners of Paws Of Thunder which was formerly known as the St.Leger and first run in 1957. The NSW NCA restructured the prizemoney and the race name in 2001. It is now conducted by the GBOTA.
1957 Idle Sign, 1958 Ebony Minda, 1959 Super Samson, 1960 Constant Raider, 1961 Elsie Moss, 1962 Black Top, 1963 Miss Warcroft, 1964 Revival King, 1965 Daily Tide, 1966 Sunset Fire, 1967 Another Glitter, 1968 Zoom Top, 1969 Beau Brin, 1970 Size Seven, 1971 Romantic Top, 1972 Likely Light, 1973 Trella Light, 1974 Busy’s Chief, 1975 Mighty Aussie, 1976 Palaver, 1977 Fine Arama, 1978 Oberon Lily, 1979 Lord Raleigh, 1980 Glider’s Son, 1981 Promises Free, 1982 Winifred Bale, 1983 Winston Lass, 1984 Beach Rhythm 1985 Another Flash, 1986 Memories Gate, 1987 See Yah, 1988 Grizzly Bear, 1989 Jessica Kate, 1990 Dixie Lass, 1991 Little Denver, 1992 Iago, 1993 Leon Mal, 1994 Zazziam, 1995 Nine Inch Nails, 1996 Tamborine Dancer, 1997 Elle’s Commando, 1998 Waiwera Marika, 1999 Stately Bird, 2000 Some Secret, 2001 Suellen Bale, 2002 Modern Assassin, 2003 Winsome Shot, 2004 Kobble Rock 2005 Pure Octane, 2006 Suave Fella, 2007 Leprechaun Pace, 2008 One Tree Hill, 2009 Cindeen Shelby, 2010 Lochinvar Marlow, 2011 Fancy Will, 2012 (Not Held) 2013 Sheikha, 2014 Iona Seven and 2015 Asa Flying Spur.
By Jeff Collerson GRNSW Website
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