Four heats of the Group 1 Sportsbet Sandown Cup (715m) – featuring Australia’s best stayers – complement a G1 final double-header (Sapphire Crown / Harrison-Dawson) at Sandown Park on Thursday night.

One of the distance dynamos headlining the heats, which have also attracted a strong interstate contingent, is Victorian ‘staying sweetheart’ Ariarne Bale – named after Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus (reigning Olympic champion in the women’s 200m and 400m freestyle).

Trained by Daniel Gibbons, Ariarne Bale provided Gibbons with his first G1 success – and justifiably laid claim to Australia’s No. 1 stayer mantle – in the Fanta Bale Super Stayers at The Meadows on February 25.

But since then, Ariarne Bale (Jul ’20 Feral Franky x Dyna Zesty) has somewhat lowered that lofty bar – albeit she did contest the G1 Galaxy final (6^th) at Cannington in Perth and won the Cup Night Distance at Geelong.

“You can’t win them all… And she went back to her ‘old tricks’
last week.”

In two of her past three starts, she has finished fifth in a heat of ‘The 715’ at The Gardens and third in a Sandown Cup Prelude.

Ariarne Bale – a winner of 15 races (with 10 seconds and eight thirds) from 60 starts, with $261,610 in prizemoney – is engaged in Heat 1 (Race 3, 6.49pm) where she’ll exit from Box 3.

She’s $3.50F on Sportsbet, ahead of Osprey Athena ($3.80) and Couch Surfer ($4.20), while on the ‘All In’ market she’s on the third line of betting at $8, behind NSW stars Zipping Orlando ($4.80) and Punter’s Bandit ($6).

A four-time G1 finalist, Ariarne Bale has also contested this year’s Zoom Top (6^th) at The Meadows and last year’s Sale Cup (4^th). She was also runner-up in last year’s G2 Sydney Cup at Wentworth Park and Listed Cup Night Stayers at Sandown Park.

Gibbons is buoyant about Ariarne Bale acquitting herself well during the Sandown Cup series but says, “I’m not as confident as leading into the Fanta Bale Super Stayers”.

“You can’t win them all; she’s competing in top staying races almost every week… And she went back to her ‘old tricks’ last week.”

Gibbons was referring to Ariarne Bale’s habit of “never moving around greyhounds and just clinging to the rails” – a trait she overcame in the Super Stayers.

“I’m still confident as she’s a good dog and drawn closer to the rails in the ‘white’ alley is where she needs to be.

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“However, I think Osprey Athena (Box 1) will be the one to catch.”

He added that there’s currently a lot of top stayers going around and says, “I think Zipping Orlando is a freak”. “He’s young and could be unbeatable in six months.”

Gibbons also has G2 ‘country cups queen’ Kelsey Bale (Box 4) in the $100,000 to-the-winner G1 Sportsbet Sapphire Crown final (515m) – Race 8, 8.40pm.

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Kelsey Bale, also twice a G1 third placegetter, is $3.70 second elect on Sportsbet. Megastar Wow She’s Fast is $3.50F.

“She’s full of confidence and ready to go,” Gibbons said. “She just needs a little bit of luck and a clear run early.

“But I think she may be the ‘meat in the sandwich’. She’s never drawn well in a final.”

Pawnote: NSW raiders head betting in the remaining heats: Punter’s Bandit ($2.80) – Heat 2 (Race 4, 7.13pm); Cawbourne Magic ($3.30) – Heat 3 (Race 5, 7.34pm); Zipping Orlando ($1.70) – Heat 4 (Race 6, 7.58pm).

The Sandown Cup final – carrying a first prize of $175,000 – will be staged on Friday, May 26.

Only two greyhounds have won the Super Stayers / Sandown Cup double – Bobby Boucheau (2011) and Fanta Bale (2018/2017).

WATCH: ARIARNE BALE (B2) scores a massive seven-length G1 Fanta Bale Super Stayers victory at The Meadows on February 25.