Air Marshall gapped the field to win the first semi-final, and will likely enter Sunday’s Gawler Produce final as favourite. PHOTO: Kurt Donsberg Photography
Shawn Noack
FRIDAY made for great racing at Gawler, headlined by the two Gawler Produce semi-finals and a blistering run from likely final favourite next week, Air Marshall.
It was no surprise to see the Ray Murray-trained Air Marshall winning the first semi-final after a statement-making performance the previous week in his first heat.
Air Marshall jumped well again, and after the first three seconds of the race, he worked his way clear and lead throughout, eventually winning by a big margin of five lengths from Paula Hearnden’s
Long Gully Barney and See You Smile who finished in a dead heat for second place.
Air Marshall registered a time of 30.66 seconds, but the quality of the race shone through with both second-placed dogs running a faster time than the winner of semi-final two.
That race was a much closer run affair.
The favourite, Spring Cobra from box three, didn’t ping the boxes and was checked on the first turn, taking him to last position and leaving an uphill battle for a result.
Tony Rasmussen’s Buddy Guy jumped cleanly from box four and lead the entire race, opening a three-length gap down the back straight to win in the time of 31 seconds flat.
Oakvale Style made late ground to finish only three-quarters-of-a-length off in a time of 31.04, with third place going to Born Lovely in 31.07 seconds.
The box draw for the final was held at the club shortly after, with the qualifiers for the final and times ran as follows.
Air Marshall (30.66 seconds) will jump from box one, Long Gully Barny (30.93) will jump from box four, See you Smile (30.93) will jump from box seven, Buddy Guy (30.93) will jump from box two, Spring Vinnie (31.03) will jump from box five, Oakvale Style (31.04) will jump from box three, Born Lovely (31.07) will jump from box eight, and Spring Burner (31.24) rounds out the field from box six, with Hank the Hustler and Vantae Mack as reserves.
Air Marshall will likely start a deserving favourite, but if it doesn’t jump well on Sunday night, it will be anyone’s guess from the very even field behind it.
At this stage, the Gawler Greyhound Racing Club are still not able to have guests attend, however with restrictions being eased, this may change in the coming days. Regardless, the action will be screened on Sky Racing 1 on Sunday night.
