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  • Friday, 09 Aug, 2019,
  • by Gerard Guthrie

Gizmo to turn St Leger tables

Despite running second in his heat, Get It Gizmo is TAB’s $3.20 favourite for Saturday night’s Group 3 Warragul St Leger (460m).

A member of Harry Manolitsis’ boutique four-greyhound Lysterfield South kennel, which also includes Group performers Flynn and Italian Plastic, Get It Gizmo qualified for the final of the Group 1 Maturity Classic at The Meadows late last month.

However, the lightly-raced prospect had no luck when finishing at the tail of the field behind superstar Sennachie.

After that disappointment, Manolitsis targeted last Tuesday’s heats of Warragul’s $25,000 to-the-winner St Leger, where Get It Gizmo just missed when runner-up to Andrea Dailly’s boom unbeaten youngster Shima Shine, which improved his perfect record to four from four.

WATCH: Shima Shine (B3) and Get It Gizmo (B8) in their Warragul St Leger heat.

“It wasn’t a bad run,” Manolitsis said.

“He was posted three-wide and spotted Shima Shine a couple of lengths and almost chased him down. It was a terrific race.

“He’s going along just lovely. He’s been progressing through the puppy races; he made the Winter Cup Final at Cranbourne, the Maturity Final, where he had no luck at all, and now the St Leger Final.”

While Get It Gizmo wasn’t able to run down Shima Shine in the heats, TAB has installed him as the $3.20 favourite from box three, with Shima Shine sharing the second line of betting at $4 with Jeff Britton’s rails runner and fastest qualifier Weblec Ace.

“I would have liked box one and if he couldn’t have the red I probably would’ve preferred to draw off the track,” Manolitsis offered.

“Hopefully he will get a little bit of room early.

“At this level, it’s more about what’s drawn around you and what they do, which is what happened in the Maturity, when Get It Gizmo began well but got hit straight away.”

Manolitsis has done a wonderful job with his small team, with Flynn, Italian Plastic and now Get It Gizmo all making their mark in elite company in 2019.

Flynn won the Group 3 Bill Collins Memorial Speed Star, ran fourth in the Group 1 Harrison-Dawson and was a Group 2 Launching Pad finalist, while Italian Plastic finished third in the Group 2 Horsham Cup and was a Group 2 Warragul Cup finalist.

“I’m very proud of the small team and grateful to have had the success we have.”

Gerard GuthrieGerard Guthrie

Gerard Guthrie

One of Australia’s leading greyhound racing journalists since 2000 with the Greyhound Recorder and now with Greyhound Racing Victoria. Part-owner 2013 Group 1 Paws Of Thunder winner Sheikha. (The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of GRV)

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