Hector Fawley – named after a Harry Potter character – should prove the ‘Minister of Magic’ in the Group 3 Speed Star Middle Distance (595m) at Sandown Park on Wednesday night.

Quite aptly, Hector Fawley – trained by Lisa Cockerell – is a middle distance ‘wizard’ at SP. He’s won six from seven there, including the G3 Racecallers Showdown defeating NSW star Punter’s Bandit by 3.7L in 33.87sec.

Hector Fawley also clocked a magical 33.64sec over 595m at SP on April 20 this year. It was just over one length off the 33.562sec track record set by Collinda Patty on August 15, 2021.

In Sportsbet’s ‘overall’ market on the Speed Star Middle Distance, Hector Fawley is a raging-hot $1.25 favourite ahead of Minter Frost ($9.50), who is the only other runner under double-figure odds.

“He’ll take a lot of beating if he gets anywhere near his 33.64sec personal best.”

“We’re really happy with him,” Cockerell said. “We gave him a week off to freshen him up prior to his trial (29.21sec) over 515 metres at Sandown last Thursday.

“It’s always in the back of our mind, but his Achilles tendon is also holding up well. And there are no concerns about his fitness.”

Cockerell added Hector Fawley’s Racecallers Showdown win showed match race conditions suit him.

“He’s not particularly brilliant early, but he’ll have the whole track to do what he wants,” she said. “He can come from behind and it won’t really matter where he is early.

WATCH: HECTOR FAWLEY (B1) scores a ‘magical’ win over PUNTER’S BANDIT (B3) in the G3 Racecallers Showdown.

“He’ll take a lot of beating if he gets anywhere near his 33.64sec personal best. And Sandown seems to be his track.”

Hector Fawley (aka “Stanley”) is owned by the ‘Bag of Lollys’ syndicate comprising Cockerell and husband Ian, her mum, Marlene, and their 12-year-old twins, Morgan and Taylor.

“He’s so special, we love him… But I’m the ‘handicap’, I can’t get him ‘out of a box’,” Cockerell quipped.

“The kids have voted in Ian as the handler on Wednesday night.”

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Here are the Speed Star Middle Distance ‘pairings’ and ‘tale of the tape’:

Heat 1 (Race 3, 7.32pm)
Box 1 – VALOR BALE ($2.15)
Trainer: Mark Delbridge 

SP Starts (595m): 12 – 4-4-0
Best Winning Time: 34.29sec
Group race finals at SP: 2023 G2 McKenna Memorial (5^th)

Box 3 – ALFIE MOON ($1.70)
Trainer: Jess Hopkins 

SP Starts (595m): 4 – 0-1-0
Best Winning Time: NBT
Group race finals at SP: Winner – 2023 G3 The Lizrene

Heat 2 (Race 4, 7.42pm)

Box 1 – DOTTY’S GIFT ($2.30)
Trainer: Robin Moore 

SP Starts (595m): 10 – 2-4-0
Best Winning Time: 34.33sec
Group race finals at SP: Nil

Box 3 – MINTER FROST ($1.60)
Trainer: Joy Reinke 

SP Starts (595m): 8 – 6-1-1
Best Winning Time: 34.25sec
Group race finals at SP: Nil

Heat 3 (Race 5, 7.52pm)

Box 1 – AILEE BALE ($1.35)
Trainer: Mark Delbridge

SP Starts (595m): 10 – 3-1-1
Best Winning Time: 34.00sec
Group race finals at SP: Runner-up – 2023 G2 McKenna Memorial; 2022 G2 Laurels Classic (6^th); 2023 Listed Maidment Memorial (6^th)

Box 3 – BELLE VIOLIN ($3.20)
Trainer: Tom Dailly 

SP Starts (595m): 6 – 1-2-0
Best Winning Time: 34.00sec
Group race finals at SP: 2023 G2 McKenna Memorial (7^th)

Heat 4 (Race 6, 8.02pm)

Box 1 – HECTOR FAWLEY ($1.14)
Trainer: Lisa Cockerell

SP Starts (595m): 7 – 6-0-0
Best Winning Time: 33.64sec
Group race finals at SP: Winner – 2023 G3 Racecallers Showdown; 2023 G2 McKenna Memorial (6^th); 2023 G3 Easter Gift (3^rd)

Box 3 – LORNETT EXPRESS ($5.50)
Trainer: Tom Dailly

SP Starts (595m): 6 – 2-0-1
Best Winning Time: 33.92sec
Group race finals at SP: Nil

The $47,000 Speed Star (595m) each carry $4500 (match winner) and $1000 (match runner up), with finishing positions (based on overall times): 1^st – $10,000; 2^nd – $7500; 3^rd – $5000; 4^th – $2500.

Meanwhile, Moraine Suzie – crowned ‘Stayer of the Year’ at the 2023 Victorian Greyhound Awards last Friday night – headlines the G3 Speed Star Stayers (715m).

Here are the Speed Star Stayers ‘pairings’ and ‘tale of the tape’:

Heat 1 (Race 1, 7.02pm)

Box 1 – SUNNYSIDE JO ($2.90)
Trainer: Matt Clark 

SP Starts (715m): 3 – 2-1-0
Best Winning Time: 41.77sec
Group race finals at SP: Nil

Box 3 – MORAINE SUZIE ($1.40)
Trainer: Brendan Pursell 

SP Starts (715m): 6 – 3-1-0
Best Winning Time: 41.33sec
Group race finals at SP: 2023 G1 Sandown Cup (6^th); 2022 G1 Bold Trease (6^th)

Heat 2 (Race 2, 7.12pm)

Box 1 – ZIPPING KANSAS ($5.50)
Trainer: Martin Hallinan 

SP Starts (715m): 2 – 1-0-0
Best Winning Time: 41.27sec
Group race finals at SP: Nil

Box 3 – LIKE WILDFIRE ($1.14)
Trainer: Rob Britton 

SP Starts (715m): 1 – 1-0-0
Best Winning Time: 41.41sec
Group race finals at SP: Nil

The $33,500 Speed Star (715m) each carry $4500 (match winner) and $1000 (match runner up), with finishing positions (based on overall times): 1^st – $10,000; 2^nd – $7500; 3^rd – $5000.

Pawnote: The $61,000 G3 Speed Star (515m) – Races 7-12 – each carry $5000 (match winner) and $1000 (match runner up), with finishing positions (based on overall times): 1^st – $10,000; 2^nd – $7500; 3^rd – $5000; 4^th – $2500.

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