Robert Britton’s lucrative association with the prolific ‘Tears’ dynasty can continue in Thursday night’s $220,000 Group 3 Launching Pad Final (515m) at Sandown Park.
Britton boasts clearly the two fastest greyhounds in the $150,000 to-the-winner feature; regally related litter brothers Trooper Tears, fastest qualifier courtesy of a head-turning 29.01sec semi-final victory, and Trapper Tears.
Trooper Tears saved the best for the last of the four semis, making a statement with an all-the-way 7.8L romp from box eight, his scorching time – initially semaphored as sub-29sec – no surprise to champion mentor Britton.
“Not particularly,” Britton said.
“Two weeks prior, Trapper Tears beat Trooper Tears in 29.17sec, and you would say Trooper Tears was a certainty beaten and lost a couple of lengths in the run, so I thought he was capable of running every bit of 29.17sec or better!
“But the six and seven both turned left last week, so it was a solo trial for Trooper Tears.
“Hopefully, he can get some luck two weeks in a row.
“I’m not getting too carried away. I think Sandown at the moment is playing very fast and there’s quite a few dogs running sub-29.30sec, whether it’s the track or the dogs, I’m not sure.”
WATCH: “The time is out of this world!” TROOPER TEARS (B8) stormed into favouritism for the G3 Launching Pad (515m) with a scintillating 29.01sec semi-final victory last Thursday night.
Courtesy of his airborne qualifying effort, Trooper Tears (box 2) is $1.95 favourite in Sportsbet’s market on the Launching Pad, restricted to the sport’s up-and-comers with 1-6 wins and 1-30 starts.
Trapper Tears (box 7) is a more than capable ‘second stringer’ at $10.
Prior to the Launching Pad series proper, Trapper Tears upstaged his more fancied sibling in the Qualifier Final, clocking a flying 29.17sec, and Britton is astounded by the market discrepancy between his two finalists.
“I think it’s crazy!” he offered.
“There shouldn’t be that much between them.
“There won’t be any room for error in this race. Trooper Tears has got to do everything right. He needs to come out really well and get a clear run.
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“I think the leader probably wins or goes close to winning and the five (Starline Express) will be hard to lead.
“I think Trapper Tears is suited out there (box 7). He could end up getting the better run. I think the four I have from the litter all like wide draws, because while I wouldn’t say they’re wide runners, they do run straight.
“I have said that ‘Trooper’ is the best of the two, but ‘Trapper’ might be the stronger of the two, and he might be the one that gets at least 600m later on.”
Trooper Tears and Trapper Tears are by Goodesy out of Freaky Tears (Fernando Bale x Tears Siam), a litter sister to G1 winner Here’s Tears and full sister to champion stayer Tornado Tears and another G1 winner in Rippin’ Sam, all of which were also trained by Britton.
Trooper Tears and Trapper Tears are looking to achieve something their superstar ‘uncle’ Tornado Tears, which ran fifth in the 2018 Launching Pad Final, couldn’t.
One week after his Launching Pad defeat, Tornado Tears embarked on his legendary staying career with a near-record 41.20sec victory over 715m at Sandown, going on to win 35 of his 69 starts and joining the ‘million dollar club’ banking $1,003,835 in earnings.
“It was always the plan to step Tornado Tears up after the Launching Pad, but these two won’t be going down the same path,” Britton explained.
“They have more early speed, but being the Tears line, we might try them over further in the second half of their careers.”
Thursday night’s bumper Sandown meeting also features the $37,250 Group 3 Easter Gift (515m), $36,500 Launching Pad Consolation and $22,000 Launching Pad Runway Final.
