Fernando’s fitting finale?

Friday, 13 November, 2015, by Sandown

Fernando Bale looks set to cap his remarkable career with a victory in the TAB Melbourne Cup at Sandown Park next Friday night.

In what is shaping as his final  campaign, Fernando Bale was sent to the boxes the $1.10 favourite – the 22nd consecutive race he’s started at an odds on quote – and his customary explosive early speed allowed him to open a three length lead on the field passing the post for the first time. He extended that margin with every stride down the back straight before stopping the clock at 29.06 seconds to record a stunning 7.5 length victory.

The win was the 25th in his last 27 starts and 33rd overall, and will be aiming to maintain his perfect group race record when he takes his place in Friday night’s $600,000 group 1 TAB Melbourne Cup final.

“He’s a champion, that’s all I can say,” said his emotional trainer Andrea Dailly.

“I wasn’t nervous going to the boxes, but once I put him in the box I thought ‘geez I hope he wins.’ There’s been a lot of hype about him retiring after the Cup and I really wanted to see him compete in the big race because he deserves to, he’s a champion.”

A win in next week’s final would be his 12th group race victory – the 9th at group 1 level – and take the white and brindle superstar’s prize money to $1,588,110.

“A lot of people have come to the track to see him – it’s a really nice feeling knowing how many people enjoy watching him race.

“Because we’re with him every day it’s easy to take him for granted, but when you see a crowd like tonight it reminds you just how special he is.”

Despite dominating his heat, Fernando Bale cannot afford a misstep in the final, with an outstanding field assembled to challenge him in the world’s richest greyhound race.

Leading the charge is kennelmate and fastest TAB Melbourne Cup heat winner Dyna Double One. Renowned for his strong finishing burst, Dyna Double pinged to the early lead and was never headed, stopping the clock in 29.05 to record just his second win in seven starts at Sandown Park.

The TAB Melbourne Cup is the eighth group 1 Dyna Double has qualified for, but despite being placed in five of them, he is yet to break through at the highest level. In seven encounters with Fernando Bale, Dyna Double One is yet to defeat his kennelmate.

Dyna Double One’s litter brother Dyna Tiber rounds out Dailly’s three pronged TAB Melbourne Cup assault.

In the night’s other heats:

– Secret Spell has her sights set on a second group 1 title within three weeks after leading all of the way to win her heat in 29.34. A winner of the group 1 Hume Cup over 600m at The Meadows early in the month, Secret Spell has seamlessly reverted to the 515m distance, and will be aiming to give Kelly and Brett Bravo their fourth group race win in November

– In what may be her final start, Lamia Bale will line up in her 12th group final after bouncing back to form to score in 29.42. Lamia Bale is the epitome of a track specialist boasting a record of 14 wins and 14 placings from 43 starts at Sandown Park. She has already won a group 1, group 2 and group 3 race at the track, and is the only runner in the field to have registered a win against Fernando Bale

– Zipping Meg squeezed between Xtreme Knocka and Lektra Utopia to storm to a hard fought victory in 29.55

– Angela Langton took out the night’s opening heat with Black Illusion taking full advantage of box one to lead all of the way in 29.64. It was Black Illusion’s sixth win from seven starts from the inside draw

– Bearville Azza will aim to end the Britton family’s Melbourne Cup jinx after winning the night’s final heat in 29.48. Between Bearville Azza’s trainer Robert, his father Alan, sister Linda and brother Jeff, the family has prepared more than 20 Melbourne Cup finalists without landing the prize.

Interestingly, five of the eight TAB Melbourne Cup finalists are trained by women, and all eight are trained in the Geelong region.

Four excellent heats of the $145,000 group 1 Bold Trease for stayers were also conducted on the night, with Luna Jinx setting the time standard of 41.94. Come On Fantasy, Kilkee Flex and Ryno’s Raider also recorded heat wins, and will be joined in the final by Kraken Flash, Bourbski Flyer, Lady Toy and Lithgow Panther.

The box draw for the $600,000 TAB Melbourne Cup and $145,000 Bold Trease will be conducted at Sandown Park from 11.30am on Sunday 15 November and will be simulcast on Sky Racing (ch520) and  RSN (927am).

The final of both races will be run on Friday 20 November.

Click here for full results from tonight’s big night of racing.

TAB Melbourne Cup replays:

Heat 1 – Black Illusion (29.64)
Heat 2 – Dyna Tiber (29.60)
Heat 3 – Dyna Double One (29.05)
Heat 4 – Secret Spell (29.34)
Heat 5 – Fernando Bale (29.06)
Heat 6 – Lamia Bale (29.42)
Heat 7 – Zipping Meg (29.55)
Heat 8 – Bearville Azza (29.48)