Feature Greyhound Racing this Sunday heads to the Yarra Valley where we have a terrific program up the straight at Healesville featuring the $7,000 to the winner Straight Track Championship (350m).
Race 8 is the main event and, for mine, looks a wonderful race that is fairly wide open. The country cups King Luca Neveelk (1), pictured above, looks as if he will be the one to beat, even though he was run down in his heat last Sunday. A winner of 29 of 46, he has come up with the perfect draw and from there will get his opportunity to win another feature race.
Trainer Gerry Kleeven was heartened by Luca Neveelk’s performance in his heat following his star’s recent shoulder problems.
“It’s a tough race. There are three or four genuine chances and while he might not win I am very confident he’ll run a good race,” Kleeven said.
Luca Neveelk’s main danger for mine is Gaelic Peter (8), who looks primed to run a big race. He needs room to wind up early and he will get that here from the outside. This is certainly his chance to announce himself as a top line dog. Due Process (4) and Shared Equity (5) have both drawn a little awkwardly, but are both exciting young talents. Due Process has won five of six and was a flying winner in his heat in a blistering 18.93. If he repeats that here he will go very close.
Shared Equity is a brilliant youngster but may not be suited to the sprint trip here. He was a terrific heat winner, responding well late in his heat and if he is close enough at the gumtree he will be finishing hard. The other winning chance is Pud (7), who was able to run down Luca Neveelk in its heat last week and, if he repeats that here he will be right in it. Also, he has never missed a place in 10 starts up the straight. It does look an outstanding race and it wouldn’t surprise if any one of five or six greyhounds did win it. Here is a replay of Luca Neveelk being run down by Pud in the heat last week.
On a good quality day of racing, other races to take note of include the debut of the well-bred Emp Girl in Race 3, the clash of Shared Bonus and Big Ticket in Race 6, and in Race 10 I’m keen Fiery Nell each way from the outside box, and the highly promising Soldier Spy, who goes around in Race 11. You have something on all those and I think you can come out in front.
It should be a ripper day’s racing and I hope this has helped you into a winner or two. Good Luck and Good Punting.
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Healesville Formguide: Click Here
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Heat 2: Due Process (8) defeats Gaelic Peter (5) in 18.931sec.
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Heat 3: Unquestionably (4) defeats West On Delly (1) in 19.244sec.
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Heat 4: Pud (4) defeats Luca Neveelk (1) in 19.083sec.
