Jilliby Litsa Wins Group 1 Spion Rose

FOR the second consecutive year the green and white reserve racing vest was carried to victory in the group 1 $45,000 Spion Rose Final.

Last Friday evening at the Hatrick Raceway Jilliby Litsa slotted into the two-trap from off the reserves bench which saw her pinging away and she was never seriously challenged afterwards when delivering her freewheeling 29.90 520m win.

It was a group race double header for leading conditioner Lisa Cole as in the following race it was Big Time Fairy who also controlled the pace throughout when claiming her 17.36 victory in the Group 2 $15,000 Dash For Dash decider.

It was also an evening of complete domination for the potent Cole kennels, who also mentored another seven winners, while providing numerous placegetters during the premier evening of racing.

Jilliby Litsa had previously indicated she was up to the elite level of racing, having contested the recent $100,000 New Zealand Cup final, where she endured an impeded racing passage.

The daughter of Barcia Bale and Absolute Beaut was initially offered to the Lisa Cole kennels by New South Wales owner Scott Eaton, whose parents had greyhounds previously trained by Cole for them.

However, a lack of kennel space at the time resulted in a number of Jilliby pre-fixed named chasers going into the Steve Clark northern based kennels. Tragically Clark passed away, resulting in the greyhounds being transferred to Cole.

"Jilliby Litsa is a strong greyhound, so when she bounced into the early lead she was never going to be caught," said Brendon Cole who was also rapt with the effort put in by kennelmate Big Time Izzy who gamely chased the pacemaker throughout for her 3.5 length second.

Last year's Spion Rose winner He's All Shine kicked on stoutly for his third placing a further 2 1/2 lengths astern for his conditioner Sam Lozell.

The Cole prepared pair of Big Time Brie and the evergreen Trojan Hoarse dominated the market for the Dash For Cash final. They jammed up at the jump from their midfield draws, effectively ending their winning claims.

Making a faultless beginning was their kennelmate Big Time Fairy who then scampered through her 305m dash to claim her first group race title.

Pressing on solidly was last year's runner-up Buddy Boom for his northern trainers Jared Udy and Denise Cottam and he occupied the same placing this time around when winding up 1.75 lengths behind.

Trojan Hoarse recovered to finish the same margin back in third.

"Big Time Fairy has always been a smart girl and she has strengthened after resuming from a seasonal spell. She has an exciting future," advised Brendon Cole, who along with Lisa watched the Hatrick action unfold up the road in the King Country.

"It was my birthday, so Lisa took us a 100km trail bike ride on gravel tracks – it was really tough, however training nine winners on a premier night made it more enjoyable and satisfying," he added.