A commanding Cranbourne Cup heat win from Orson Allen will likely see the super sprinter start favourite in next Saturday’s $67,000 final.
The Correy Grenfell-trained greyhound appears primed to win his first country cup after taking out his heat in a breathtaking 29.61sec, just short of Pop The Cork’s 29.60ec track record, which has stood since 2016.
Middle boxes are generally considered a disadvantage in greyhound racing but, remarkably, three of the four heat winners exited box five, with the remaining heat won from box four.
The other heat winners were Poke The Bear (30.09sec), who once again produced an incredible come-from-behind victory, his kennelmate Azkaban (29.87sec) and Huxley (29.90sec).
2019 CRANBOURNE CUP BOX DRAW
Saturday 9 February – 520m
1. Wears Woodleigh (Ian Brown, Loch)
2. Poke The Bear (SeonaThompson, Pearcedale)
3. Orson Allen (Correy Grenfell, Avalon)
4. Hightan (Michelle Nolan, Devon Meadows)
5. Huxley (Paul Abela, Parwan)
6. Blue Striker (Peter Akathiotis, Reservoir)
7. Azkaban (SeonaThompson, Pearcedale)
8 Sure To Excite (Graham James, Woodleigh)
Reserves
9. Hasten Slowly (Angela Langton, Anakie)
10. Dyna Chancer (Correy Grenfell, Avalon)
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HEAT 1: Azkaban (5) runs down Hightan (3) in 29.87sec.
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HEAT 2: Poke The Bear (5) storms home along with Wears Woodleigh (8) in 30.09sec.
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HEAT 3: Huxley (4) holds Blue Striker (7) at bay winning in 29.90sec.
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HEAT 4: Orson Allen (5) accounts for Sure To Excite in 29.61sec (Best).
