Champion Pearcedale trainer Jason Thompson is eyeing his second Group 3 Launching Pad (515m) at Sandown Park on Thursday night.
Thompson is hopeful terrific tyro Plaintiff (Box 2) obtains the ‘verdict’ in the $150,000 to-the-winner event (Race 8, 8.34pm). He won the race with Buck Forty in 2016.
Plaintiff has ‘laid down the law’, being successful at his past five races. The winning streak started when he landed a $25,000 first prize in the G3 GRV Vic Bred Maiden Series, held at The Meadows on G1 Australian Cup night – at only his third outing.
He then won at Geelong and Warrnambool before snaring a heat (29.50sec) and semi-final (29.32sec) of the Launching Pad.
Subsequently, Plaintiff ($3.70) is the second elect in the final, behind inaugural Phoenix winner Wow She’s Fast ($2.20), on TAB’s fixed odds market.
“Plaintiff is relatively inexperienced and didn’t have a lot of trials prior to commencing his race career,” Thompson said. “He’s one of the youngest dogs in the series and is the youngest finalist at only 21 months.
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“He showed good early pace prior to racing and he’s now getting the start right. He’s pinged the lids at his past three starts.
“It’ll be an interesting race early. I think Dusty Bourbski or Plaintiff will lead, and hopefully it’s us.
“He has a very good chance, but Wow She’s Fast is the quickest dog in the final. Had she drawn 1, 2, or 3, she would have been near impossible to beat.”
“He’s pinged the lids at his past three starts.”
Wow She’s Fast – a winner of eight races from 11 starts, including six from eight at Sandown Park – clocked a very fast 29.29sec semi-final win.
However, the fastest semi-final winner was Dusty Bourbski (29.23sec) – five wins from 12 starts, including three from four at Sandown Park – which is quoted at $3.80 for the final.
Wow She’s Fast and Dusty Bourbski have drawn boxes seven and one respectively in the final.
GROUP 3 LAUNCHING PAD (515m)
Sandown Park – Thursday 14 April – $150,000 to the winner
- DUSTY BOURBSKI (Andrea Dailly, Anakie)
- PLAINTIFF (Jason Thompson, Pearcedale)
- LEVITATION (Jacqueline Greenough, Pearcedale)
- FEARLESS RORY (Ashlee Terry, Lara)
- ASTON KOMUNI (Ian Garland, Longlea)
- SAMONA (Brendan Pursell, Lara)
- WOW SHE’S FAST (Jacqueline Greenough, Pearcedale)
- HERE COMES PIE (Des Douch, Maffra)
Reserves
- PHOTO MAN (Gavin Clifton, Tynong North)
- LOVE THE CITY (Daniel Pell, Toolleen)
Semi-final winners
(fastest to slowest)
- Dusty Bourbski – 29.23sec
- Wow She’s Fast – 29.29sec
- Plaintiff – 29.32sec
- Fearless Rory – 29.42sec
Owned by Amanda Tullio, Plaintiff (whelped Jul ’20) is a son of former superstar Zambora Brockie – winner of the 2015 G1 Vic Peters Classic and 2016 G1 Winter Cup and an eight-time G1 finalist.
His dam, Appointed, won seven races (including three at Sandown Park and two at The Meadows) from 24 starts.
Rising star PLAINTIFF claims a Launching Pad semi-final in a slick 29.32sec.
Appointed is a litter sister of Deliver, which won 22 races from 42 starts including the 2018 G1 Vic Peters Classic and 2019 G1 Rookie Rebel. She was also third in the 2019 G1 Australian Cup.
Pawnote: Premier Racing at Sandown Park on Thursday night will reach stratospheric heights with the Launching Pad supported by the G3 Easter Gift (1st – $25,000), Launching Pad Consolation (1st – $15,000) and Launching Pad Runway (1st – $15,000).