Mepunga's Blazing Record Romp

MEPUNGA Blazer smashed the Albion Park track record winning a heat of the Group 1 Winter Cup there last Thursday night and Victorian training maestro Jeff Britton immediately declared him easily the best greyhound he had trained.
The son of Barcia Bale-Mepunga Nicky scored by 10 lengths in 29.41, eclipsing Dyna Double One's track record of 29.51 when demolishing Codrington Kid and Maurice Minor.
Mepunga Blazer is at the start of a comeback to racing after a failed bid at stud.
The dog had already trialled at Albion Park in 29.77 in preparation for this Cup series and Britton knew there would be great improvement even off that scorching debut look at the track.
“The same night he trialled 29.77, Hasten Slowly won the Flying Amy Classic final at Albion Park,” said Jeff.
“And Mepunga Blazer is five lengths better than Hasten Slowly.”
Britton has trained a number of great race dogs in his long career but says Mepunga Blazer is “easily the best”.
“No, you never expect a dog to smash a track record,” he said.
“But I expected him to run very, very well.”
Mepunga Blazer won the Group 1 Maturity when a pup and not long after was retired to stud. At the time it appeared the perfect plan.
His champion sire Barcia Bale was extremely busy and it was expected breeders would see Mepunga Blazer as an excellent alternative for his father.
But Britton explained, as can happen with young dogs just off the track, his fertility was not excellent.
“He was getting about 40 percent live sperm and this was probably not going to get bitches into pup,” said Jeff. “But, the vets are very confident this will right itself when he gets older.”
In the meantime Mepunga Blazer is back on the track and the break from racing has obviously done him the world of good.
“He's always been able to reel off super times,” said Jeff. “I have never had a dog break 23.00 in a hand slip at Sandown, but this dog went 22.88 recently.
Britton was impressed with the way the dog travelled back to Brisbane for last Thursday night's heat.
He had the trip up for the trial the couple of weeks before, and we arrived the night before the races this week and he settled in fantastically,” he said.
Britton then landed the next heat of the Cup when Hasten Slowly overcame early race trouble to win in 29.89.
The son of Fernando Bale-Heidi Go Seek scored by three and a half lengths over Catch Me Curly with a length and a quarter to Dual Keroma in third.
As runner-up in a Group 1 Australian Cup, he provides Britton with a fabulous back-up to the new track record holder in next week's rich final.

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