The Presutto and Nolan families celebrated an unforgettable Group 1 quinella at Wentworth Park in Sydney on Saturday night when homebred Idolize was a brilliant all-the-way winner of the G1 National Futurity (520m).
Idolize is trained by Peter Presutto at Devon Meadows and bred and raced by Presutto and wife Natalie, along with close friends and neighbours Justin and Michelle Nolan.
The Futurity was Idolize’s second victory in a female-only feature, with the daughter of 2018 Melbourne Cup hero My Redeemer and Hightan having won the G2 Laurels at Sandown Park in December, and it was even sweeter for her connections with litter sister and kennelmate Chic running second.
Idolize started $3.20 favourite from Box 3 in the $75,000 to-the-winner Futurity and she showcased her brilliant early speed with a 5.33sec first section, as she defeated Chic ($6) by 4.25 lengths in 29.80sec.
WENTWORTH PARK GROUP WINNERS
G1 Paws Of Thunder – JUNGLE DEUCE (Ray Smith Forbes, NSW)
G1 National Derby – SLINGSHOT HOOKS (Darren Sultana, Londonderry NSW)
G1 National Futurity – IDOLIZE (Peter Presutto, Devon Meadows VIC)
G2 Summer Distance Plate – MEPUNGA RUBY (Jeff Britton, Anakie VIC)
Idolize has now won nine of her 17 starts and Peter Presutto can’t get her back to Wentworth Park fast enough.
“You ripper!” a delighted Presutto said to thedogs.com.au.
“I’m speechless. Honestly. It’s just fantastic.
“To win is fantastic, to run second just adds a bit of cream to it.
“She trialled well here, I thought she missed it a bit last week and she just nailed it tonight, so with each run she has here she’s just going to get better obviously, so it’s onwards and upwards with her.
“There’s some good races coming up (here) later in the year, so we’ll have a crack at them I think.”
Jeff Britton claimed a second Victorian Group quinella on one of the biggest nights on the NSW greyhound racing calendar, with Mepunga Ruby and Hank The Hustler running one/two in the G2 Summer Distance Plate (720m).
Another Victorian, Untapped, trained by Dustin Drew, started $3.30 favourite, and was expected to lead, but Mepunga Ruby ($3.70) came out running and it was one-way traffic as she clocked a scorching 41.64sec.
“It’s beautiful conditions and when she jumped to the front, which she hasn’t been doing lately, I sort of expected a fast time,” said Jeff Britton.
It was a mixed night for Britton, with $3.70 second elect Do It never a factor in the G1 Paws Of Thunder, won in thrilling fashion by Jungle Deuce, while he also met with disappointment with G1 National Derby fancy Boston Garden, one of five Victorian finalists.
Young trainer Emily Azzopardi was denied her first G1 victory by the barest of the margins in the Derby when Slingshot Jonesy, which started joint $3.70 favourite with Andrea Dailly’s Zara’s Ivan, was run down in the last stride by litter brother Slingshot Hooks, which is trained in NSW by Darren Sultana.
Slingshot Jonesy was beaten a neck in 29.97sec.
