We do like to be beside the seaside…
Warrnambool’s Seaside Carnival is an annual Christmas/New Year pilgrimage – a celebration of greyhound racing.
And it goes into ‘party mode’ tomorrow night with the $5000 to-the-winner Warrnambool Star (450m) – to be run as a straight-out final – and heats of the Warrnambool Summer Sizzle (390m). The $10,000 to-the-winner Summer Sizzle final will be held on Saturday, January 7.
The 2021/22 features resulted in Ferdinand Boy (Star) and Silver Brute (Summer Sizzle) claiming victory.
And the 2022/23 events look equally promising, judging by the quality of entrants.
Below is a prognosis of the Star final and the Summer Sizzle heats:
Warrnambool Star (Race 8, 9.27pm)
Will it be a case of ‘Jonnie Be Good’?
Hill Top Jonnie (Box 7) – a younger half-brother of 2021 G1 Melbourne Cup hero Koblenz – has won 16 from 46. He’s finished second at his past four starts.
The son of Up Hill Jill was a finalist in the Listed Pink Diamond Rookie Sprinter (Ballarat) and the Fireball (Goulburn).
But, in what appears a two-dog war, Aston Merit (Box 1) is the one to beat.
A triple G2 finalist – including runner-up in the Geelong Gold Cup – Aston Merit has won 17 from 46 and boasts a 25.24sec PB here as opposed to Hill Top Jonnie’s 25.50sec PB.
The daughter of Secret Spell is also five from 10 exiting the ‘red’ alley.
Click HERE for Sportsbet’s Warrnambool Star market
Warrnambool Summer Sizzle
Heat 1 (Race 3 – 7.35pm)
Orbital Bale (Box 6) and Nehalem (Box 7) look set for a battle royal. The former produced a stunning near-record run (22.20sec) over 400m at Geelong on December 20. He’s six from 14 and has clocked 21.86sec here. But the latter is a star prospect winning eight from 13, including five of his past six. However, don’t dismiss Ike Bale (Box 4) – a son of Dyna Patty – which is highly promising.
Heat 2 (Race 4 – 8.00pm)
Lightning quick Gomez Bale (Box 1) – a litter brother of Ike Bale (both with “Team Grenfell”, as is Orbital Bale) – keeps rising to new heights. He’s won four from seven, including his past three. His main dangers are G3 Great Chase finalist Westar Commander (Box 3), which is four from eight, and Never Any Doubt (Box 6), which clocked a scintillating 21.46sec win over 385m at Shepparton on debut.
Heat 3 (Race 5 – 8.23pm)
Cape Clear’s Gary Peach is hoping for back-to-back wins in the Summer Sizzle. Mr. Beets (Box 2) has been ultra-impressive winning five from seven, including a smart 21.85sec win here last week. But is he a Silver Brute in the making? He’ll have his work cut out against Astra Bale (Box 4) – yet another from the Grenfell camp and out of Dyna Patty – which has won her past three, including a dazzling last start 22.24sec win (scoring by 10L) over 400m at Geelong. The Grenfells also have Lovaz Bale (Box 7) – a powerful type, which is seven from 30.
WATCH: HILL TOP JONNIE (B6) shouts it from the ‘hill top’ with a slick 25.01sec win at Ballarat on November 9.
