By Isaac Murphy
Listed racing returned to Albion Park for the first time since the Golden Greys Summer Carnival last night.
A number of up-and-comers got their chance in four hotly contested Brisbane Young Guns heats, while the middle-distance dogs did their thing over two heats of the Listed Carnival Chase.
While a couple of familiar names got the money, it was a night of upsets leading to two wide open fields for next week’s finals.
Lucky Lance flew under everyone’s radar – except trainer Robert Ayres – in the first heat of the Listed Brisbane Young Guns, with the rising star getting the best of a field including gun bitch Extra Malt driving to the lead down the back.
“I can see why people didn’t give him much chance tonight, he hasn’t had a lot of experience but he’s the fastest dog I’ve ever trained,” Ayres said.
“Once he drove through and found the top down the back, they weren’t going to reel him in, he’s always been strong home.
“If we get another inside box for the Final then he’s more than a good chance, he can get down to well under 30 seconds.”
Impact has had a meteoric rise for Kev Ellis; only two weeks removed from winning his novice, he took out his Young Guns heat with a first out first home performance.
“He just keeps stepping up to the plate; his past two wins I wasn’t expecting him to get the money and it was the same tonight - he had some serious competition,” Ellis said.
“He’s shown me over the last few weeks he’s not just a talented dog, he’s got that will to win and knows how to race in a field.
“Obviously it’ll be even harder next week, and we’ll rely on a good draw, but he’s handled everything so far so who knows.”
Nando Dreamer is well versed when it comes to Young Guns races, coming out on top of a stellar field in the Ipswich instalment earlier in the year, and Daniel Lee’s bitch has given herself a shot at the Albion Park title with a sizzling 29.78 heat win.
“When I first started her in the Dave Brett, she was jumping really well and for some reason or another she’s just gone away from that recently,” Lee said.
“I thought it might be a bit tough if she got back from box six tonight, but it looked like she left the best she has in a long time and her run home is never a question.
“We’ve got a ticket to the Final next week, that’s what we came for, it’ll be a different race but that’s her quickest time yet and will be very competitive if she can replicate it.”
It’s been a week to remember for Tony Brett and boom sprinter Orchestrate; after giving the Group 3 Rockhampton Cup field windburn last Friday, he’s backed it up by putting a gap on them in his Listed Young Guns heat.
The dog swept down from box eight to take over out of the straight, and not even the odds-on Louis Rumble could make ground as he sped away to Brett’s delight.
“I’ve always known he was going to be a good dog, I just didn’t think it would happen this quickly; suddenly he’s 14 starts in with a Group 3 win and in a Listed final,” Brett said.
“I love the way he handled the box, it takes a lot of guts to accelerate around them at the first turn and he didn’t hesitate.
“The penny has obviously dropped; there’s plenty to like about him and you won’t find a dog more on top of his game come next week.”