Skye is the limit for Fantastic Laurels winner


Six weeks after arriving their Pearcedale kennel, Fantastic Skye has given couple Kel and Jackie Greenough one of their biggest thrills in the sport after claiming the $72,500 group 2 Laurels at Sandown Park tonight.

Fantastic Skye was sent to the boxes as the $2.80 favourite despite running second in her semi final last Sunday. She began cleanly to sit behind early leader Sweet Barbados before railing strongly to assume the lead down the back straight. Once in the clear, Fantastic Sky raced away from her rivals to win in a race record 29.35 seconds. Sweet Barbados held on for second 4¼ lengths adrift, while Alpha Nemesis finished a further half-head away in third.

The win was the biggest of Fantastic Skye’s young career and was the culmination of an ambitious plan from owner Jason Fletcher. Following consecutive grade 5 wins at Wentworth Park, New South Wales based Fletcher sent Fantastic Skye to Kel Greenough specifically to target the series.

“Jason wanted to send him down early to get her acclimatised to the track because she is a little bit shy,” said Jackie Greenough, deputising for her husband, Kel.

“He sent her down in excellent condition. Very rarely does a plan come off like that but it’s nice when it does. I’m not even sure what the plan is next, her only goal has been the Laurels.”

The Greenoughs are no strangers to the group racing scene, having won many feature races around the country. However their first win in the Laurels was especially pleasing.

“It’s a special race, extremely prestigious,” Greenough continued.

“We’ve hardly ever been in it before. It’s not a race we’ve really targeted because we’ve never really had the dogs for it for various reasons, but it’s a real thrill to win a race such as this.”

Fantastic Skye is the second of her litter to taste group success following her sister Fantastic Dotty’s thrilling win in the group 3 Dapto Maiden win in August.  Tonight’s $50,000 first prize boosted her career prize money total to $75,526 from just 17 starts.

Later in the night, eight time group 1 winner Fernando Bale made a triumphant return to Sandown Park, winning the Fee For All in 29.25. It was Fernando Bale’s 35 career victory and increased his world record prize money total to $1,299,370.

Click here for full results from tonight’s racing.

Fantastic Skye blitzes her rivals to claim the group 2 Laurels