Ballarat Greyhound Racing Club’s second ‘Enduro extravaganza’ culminates on Wednesday with a gala night of racing featuring three finals.
The month-long series is highlighted by the $5000 to-the-winner Enduro Series final (545m) – Race 8, 9.18pm – that includes potential middle-distance star Untapped.
Prepared at Dennington by Dustin Drew, 37, Untapped (Apr ’19 Aston Dee Bee x Mepunga Fame) won both her Preludes in BON times (30.77sec & 31.06sec).
She’s registered seven wins from 23 starts, including three of her past four.
Ironically, Untapped is aptly named as Drew says she’s constantly been a work in progress.
“Some greyhounds need 20-plus starts to find their feet, and she’s one of them. She showed ability as a pup, but not a stack, and has got better with racing.”
Drew says, on recent form, Untapped (Box 3) looks the one to beat. But he also has a healthy respect for Aston Lee (Box 8) and Royal Deed (Box 1).
“Aston Lee has come into some good form and Royal Deed is a handy stayer going forward.
“But I’ve freshened up Untapped for the final and it’s a matter of her ‘coming out’. She’ll also need a clear run and won’t want to do too much wrong.
WATCH: Untapped (8) clocks a slick 30.77sec (Best) victory in Prelude 1 of the Enduro Series (545m) at Ballarat on August 4.
“All things being equal, she’ll be hard to beat… At one stage, I think she was sixth or seventh in the rankings for Wednesday’s Speed Star (600m) at The Meadows.
Drew also paid tribute to his dad, Ray, who has been unwell since the start of the year.
“He’s going through a bit of a health battle, so it would be a good tonic if Untapped won… But we’re also having a good year in the respect we’ve had over 50 winners thus far.”
Drew has already earmarked the G1 Hume Cup and G1 Sale Cup later this year for Untapped, who may eventually have a crack at staying.
Amazingly, there was a period when Untapped looked like fulfilling her racing moniker.
“As a pup she wouldn’t go a yard and it took a lot of patience to get her going. In fact, she just stood next to me at her first trial.
“I devoted a lot of one-on-one time and I think I was the last resort for her, or she may have been headed to GAP.”
A member of a successful litter, Untapped is also a younger half-sister of Mepunga Felix – a five-time Group finalist, including the G1 Silver Chief and G2 McKenna Memorial.
Raced by ‘Team Borda’, comprising around 50 part-owners, Untapped ‘graduated’ from the 2019 National Greyhound Draft.
There were 24 greyhounds in the draft, and she was a late pick. But as it’s turned out, she’s probably one of the better greyhounds to come from it.
