Sargent Major demands attention Defending champ runs fastest Sandown Cup heat

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1 MEDIA RELEASE 11th May 2007 Sargent Major demands attention Defending champ runs fastest Sandown Cup heat Defending champion Sargent Major capped an impressive return to racing with a convincing win in his heat of the $86,000 Group 1 Radio Sport 927 Sandown Cup at Sandown Park tonight. Jumping from box 7, Sargent Major ($4.90) began well but had to work hard from his wide box to head off surprise leader Holly Rock ($11.50) entering the straight the first time. From there Peter Giles superstar was never threatened, powering to the line in seconds, 2.5 lengths clear of the gallant Holly Rock, with odds-on favourite Kibble Kruncha ($1.30) a further neck away third. In an ominous sign for his rivals, Giles was confident of improvement in his charge, given this was just his third run back from having his tonsils removed. Flashing Floods showed why she is widely regarded as Australia s best stayer after blowing her rivals away in the final heat. Trained by Gerald Cunnold, Flashing Floods ($1.50 favourite) jumped quickly from box 5 and opened up a 10 length lead after one circuit. The chasing pack made up some late ground, however Flashing Floods proved far too good, stopping the clock in seconds. Flashing Floods resumed her racing career late last year after whelping a litter of five pups in June, and has since won 19 of 22 starts, including four Group races. The rapidly improving Infinite Charm ($21.30) gave Giles his second Cup finalist, finishing 5.5 lengths adrift. Recent Group 3 Lizrene Classic and reigning Queensland Greyhound of the Year Miss Brook ($1.40 favourite) will also prove hard to beat, coming from near last in the back straight to defeat Turbo Uno ($8.10) by 2.75 lengths. Continued on Page 2

2 2 Miss Brook broke the Albion Park 710m track record at her previous start despite nursing a slight hamstring injury, and trainer Paul Felgate is confident of further improvement in the final. Surf Rescue ($20.60) caused the upset of the night when he defeated Sky Hazzard ($3.40) by three quarters of a length. The pair cleared away from the field entering the back straight to set up a dramatic sprint to the line. Despite switching back to the rails and gaining an inside run, Sky Hazzard was unable to bridge the gap on Surf Rescue, the latter stopping the clock in Favourite Miss Grub ($1.70) overcame a tardy start to flash home for third. The final of the $86,000 Group 1 Radio Sport 927 Sandown Cup will be run at Sandown Park on Thursday 17 May Replays of all of the heats are available on Michael Floyd Sandown Administration. GROUP ONE SPORT 927 SANDOWN CUP $60,000 to the winner Holly Rock 34 starts ($42,720) Bombastic Shiraz Hollyhock Black Bitch May '04 Owners: Bob Douglas & Jason MacKay Trainer: Bob Douglas Sandown best: (5) (8 Starts 2-3-1) Honest type in good hands top first up effort as she hadn t raced since December. Has a couple of wins on the track and is sure to improve with the run under her belt. Not without a chance could lead from the red. Flashing Floods 40 starts ($238,475) Bombastic Shiraz Floodfawn Fawn Bitch April '04 Owner / Trainer: Gerald Cunnold Sandown best: (6) (4 Starts 3-0-1) Superstar stayer going for her fourth group win on the trot and second group one in a row. Looked brilliant last week with her traditional early pace, tired a little in the run home and will improve for the final should be the pilot from nice draw, certainly the one to beat in superb form. Surf Rescue 18 starts ($12,100) Surf Lorian More Reward Blue Dog November '04 Owner/ Trainer: Kevin Mugavin (Jur) Sandown best: (1 Starts 1-0-0) Outstanding effort to record the equal fastest time of last week s heats. Two starts over the long journey for two wins. An up and comer in a camp will a heap of big race success not without a chance but stepping up to elite company in this final. Nice type could run a bold race. Sky Hazzard 32 starts ($31,540) Bombastic Shiraz Blue Sky Hazard Black Dog October '04 Owner/ Trainer: Donald Hazzard Sandown best: (1) (5 Starts 2-2-1) A stayer who toils away has won on the track twice in fair time. Would need a lot of luck to match this company and a place chance is best. Will start healthy odds.

3 Infinite Charm 36 starts ($16,630) Awesome Assassin Waiting List Red Fawn Bitch October '04 Owners: D. Pulis & T. Policha Trainer: Peter Giles Sandown best: NBT (4 Starts 0-1-1) Will start the rank outsider of the field and yet to win at Sandown but is trained by the master of stayers Peter Giles. Would have to improve to win a final of this quality and place chance best. Turbo Uno 59 starts ($80,950) Primo Uno Arvo s Miss Black Dog February '04 Owner: Ingrid Burnett Trainer: David Burnett Sandown best: NBT (13 Starts 0-4-5) Well seasoned stayer who was runner-up in the race last year, amazingly has never won on the track from 13 starts. Has some claims but would have to improve on the heat run to win, place chance best. Sargent Major 55 starts ($187,180) Stately Bird Triumphant Tears White & Brindle Dog October 03 Owner: Charles Magrin Trainer: Peter Giles Sandown best: (3) (11 Starts 7-4-0) Has been an outstanding stayer and won this race last year. Looked great last week in the heat after coming back only a couple of weeks ago in a 570 event. Sure to improve and always runs a top race at Sandown has won seven on the track and recorded a fast Miss Brook (QLD) 50 starts ($154,640) Ballistic Jet Brandon Sky Fawn Bitch July '04 Owner/ Trainer: Paul Felgate Sandown best: (7) (5 Starts 4-1-0) Brilliant Queenslander who had to work hard last week to win. Recently set a new track record at Albion Park and loves racing at Sandown four wins from five starts. Nice enough draw and may have been a bit flat in the heat last week. Multi group winner here and the big danger to the favourite. Won t be far away. Miss Grub 48 starts ($39,950) Solve The Puzzle Arenia Miss Came out last week before dropping back to the rear was a little disappointing and would need to improve if she gets a start. Kibble Kruncha 39 starts ($68,110) Fool s Heart Anna Gee Another that was well fancied last week and failed to fire would have to find plenty if she gains a start. Local expert s selections for the final are as follows. Matt Corby Ron Hawkswell Rob Testa 1 st Flashing Floods 1 st Flashing Floods 1 st Flashing Floods 2 nd Miss Brook 2 nd Miss Brook 2 nd Miss Brook 3 rd Sargent Major 3 rd Sargent Major 3 rd Turbo Uno

4 Local Market for the Group 1 Sport 927 Sandown Cup. $86,000 Group 1 Radio Sport 927 Sandown Cup (715m) Box Greyhound Trainer Price Holly Rock Bob Douglas $9 Flashing Floods Gerald Cunnold $2.50 Surf Rescue Kevin Mugavin Jnr $12 Sky Hazzard Don Hazzard $12 Infinite Charm Peter Giles $41 Turbo Uno David Burnett $12 Sargent Major Peter Giles $4.50 Miss Brook Paul Felgate $4 Miss Grub (1 st RES) Kibble Kruncha (2 nd RES) Kelvyn Greenough Darren Sultana What s happening on race night? Dining packages are still available for the Radio Sport 927 Sandown Cup final. Just $50 includes Sandown's famous four course buffet, beer, wine and soft drink, entry to the course and a racebook. Contact the Sandown office on to make your booking. Facilities at the track include Dining room, snack bar, full tote and bookmaker facilities. Ample parking, and disabled access. On course activities will again see the Big punt competition take place. Eight lucky patrons draw a greyhound in the final of the Radio Sport 927 Sandown Cup final. The club places a $500 win bet on each of the finalists on behalf of each patron drawn. A face painter will be on course for the youngsters. Main support race on the card is the $15,000 Dave Hodgson Memorial (515m) The Sandown Greyhound Racing Club announced last Friday the addition of a Special Event 715m race to Thursday night s Radio Sport 927 Sandown Cup card. The initiative was undertaken in direct response to the depth of the fields that contested the heats of the Sandown Cup on Thursday night. The $10,000 race ($7,000 to the winner) is open to the best 8 nominations (GRV grader s discretion), and nominations close at 9.00am on Monday 14 May 2007, at GRV only. The event is a further boost to the Sandown Autumn Stayers Series that incorporates the Lizrene Classic, Sandown Cup and Loretta Dawson Memorial. Radio Sport 927 Sandown Cup Timeline The race first run on the grass track over 785 yards. The race was then known as the Woolamai Cup and had been first conducted in 1957 when won by Orialta A sand track is installed at Sandown Park Prizemoney increases to $3,000 to the winner. Paul s Thunder becomes the first greyhound to win two Cups Distance reduced to 718 metres. Lizrene claims her second Cup Temlee sires the first off his three consecutive Cup winners Prizemoney increases to $12,000 to the winner Prizemoney increases to $20,000 to the winner. New Zealander Raurimu wins the Cup

5 Bold Trease claims the first of his four Cups Distance reduced to 716 metres At five years of age, Bold Trease claims his fourth Cup in emphatic fashion, winning by eight lengths Bold Trease narrowly misses the Cup final after emerging from retirement Cup given Group 3 status Cup upgraded to Group 2 status Cup upgraded to Group 1 status. Prizemoney increases to $40,000 to the winner. Distance reduced to 715 metres following reconstruction of Sandown track Radio Sport 927 becomes naming rights sponsor. Prizemoney increases to $50,000 to the winner. Smart Attitude wins the race by 9.5 lengths, equalling Lizrene s race record Group 3 Lizrene Classic moved to April as a logical lead in to the Sandown Cup carnival Proven Lethal wins in race record time of seconds Best Quoted holds off the fast finishing Texas Gold to claim her second group race victory inside a month Sargent Major leads all the way to win his first Group 1, he holds off a stout Turbo Uno this followed the shock scratching Texas Gold. Radio Sport 927 Sandown Cup Fact Sheet The race is the equal richest event for staying greyhounds in Australia. The final is worth $86,000 plus trophy and presentation rug. The winner will receive $60,000, second $17,000 and third $9000. Each heat winner received $5000. The Radio Sport 927 Sandown Cup was first run in 1963 and was then known as the Woolamai Cup. The race was won by Briar View. Biggest winning margin: 9.5 lengths (Lizrene 1973, Smart Attitude 1989) Smallest winning margin: Half head (Top Sovereign 1994, Boronia Blossom 1996) Race record: Proven Lethal, 2004 Multiple Winners: 4 Bold Trease ( ) 2 Paul s Thunder ( ) 2 Lizrene ( ) Going the distance: Battle of the sexes: the Cup yards (grass) yards (sand) metres metres metres Of the last 10 Sandown Cups, 6 males and 4 female chasers have won Radio Sport 927 Sandown Cup Honour Roll 1957 Orialta, 1959 Woodford Chief, 1961 Plunkett s Present, 1963 Briar View, 1964 Haleka Jewel, 1965 Venetian Court 1966 Fawn Scout 1967 Charlie Lee 1968 Sprite of Egypt 1969 Local Blend, 1970 Paul's Thunder, 1971 Paul's Thunder, 1972 Lizrene, 1973 Lizrene, 1974 Corcoran 1975 Tammy Shanta, 1976 Brindle Norma, 1977 Rani's Copy, 1978 Kawati Boy, 1979 Miss Tema, 1980 Wynlee Wonder, 1981 Bianca Lee, 1982 Status Supreme, 1983 Lead Role, 1984 Raurimu, 1985 Tashla, 1986 Bold Trease, 1987 Bold Trease, 1988 Bold Trease, 1989 Bold Trease, 1990 Western Creole, 1991 Pixie Eyes, 1992 Village Stomper, 1993 Eliza Dylan, 1994 Top Sovereign, 1995 Keon Star, 1996 Boronia Blossom, 1997 Tonight s Wish, 1998 Red Mystique, 1999 Smart Attitude, 2000 Osti s Joker, 2001 Bentley Babe, 2002 Jennev, 2003 Arvo s Junior, 2004 Proven Lethal, 2005 Best Quoted and 2006 Sargent Major.

6 The immortal AGRA Hall Of Fame Superstar Bold Trease with his four Sandown Cups. Thanks for information supplied by Michael Floyd Sandown Administration. Any further information contact: The Sandown Office at Sandown: or For more information please contact: Neil Brown Donna Summers AGRA Publicity Officer AGRA Executive Officer Tel: Tel: Mob: Mob: