Record Trial Eases Gardoll's Thunderbolt Pain

TRAINER Reg Gardoll was left to ponder what might have been following a slashing track record trial by his top flight sprinter Starline Express at Grafton on Monday morning.

Having his first run out of the boxes since finishing runner-up to Cash Master in the Group 3 Grafton Cup (450m) on May 7, Starline Express posted a flying 19.55 for the 350m journey, more than a length inside the 19.64 track record held by Cash Master. 

Had it been up to Gardoll, Starline Express would have been going about his business in Sunday night's The Thunderbolt heats at Grafton, instead of his solo trial hit-out on Monday morning.

"We tried to get a run in The Thunderbolt but they told us we couldn't play," said Gardoll.

"I understand why he didn't get a run being a fifth grade but surely in a series like this you want your best dogs shaping up where you can?

"Yes, it's disappointing but there's no point kicking stones about it is there. We'll just look ahead now. The main thing is he's back at his top. The trial time this morning did surprise me a little.”

Gardoll has earmarked the time-honoured Group 1 Vic Peters Classic (520m) which gets underway at Wentworth Park on Saturday July 1 as the immediate target for Starline Express.

Dave Brett Memorial Maiden Final 520m

1st: Starline Express (7) – 29.88
2nd: King Of Cool (6)
3rd: Black Monaro (8)#QLDisRacing@RaceQLD @tabcomau @SkyRacingAU @GerardDaffy @Bunny_Brasch @SEN_track @MMcInallyPhotos pic.twitter.com/JQ79aJ9qqh

— Brisbane Greyhounds (@BrisGreys) November 24, 2022

Open to male greyhounds whelped on or after March 1, 2021, the son of Fernando Bale scrapes into the $75,000-to-the-winner series by a mere 14 days.

"The plan was to go to The Thunderbolt into The Vic Peters so now he'll probably have one hit-out at Grafton before the Vic Peters," the veteran trainer said.

Boasting eight wins and eight seconds from 18 career starts, Starline Express finished a gallant second to Victa Damian in the Group 1 National Derby at Wentworth Park in January, the scene of his looming Vic Peters assignment.

Following the National Derby earlier in the year, Gardoll targeted the Launching Pad at Sandown Park with the gifted sprinter, qualifying for the lucrative final with courageous efforts during the opening two rounds of the series.

"He got a touch of the kennel cough going into the final and I started him probably against my better judgement," Gardoll said.

"After the Grafton Cup I still wasn't entirely happy with him so I gave him five weeks off which going off this morning's trial has done him the world of good.

"There's usually a tenth or two in the track on trial morning as well but it's hard to imagine he could have gone much better. His sections were 3.96, 14.31 and a 5.24 run home.

"He's run time right the way through which you do running that kind of time."

Twinkle in his step

STARLINE EXPRESS was terrific in taking out the first semi-final of the Group 3 #LaunchingPad at @sandowndogs.

The Group 1 #NationalDerby runner-up now has seven wins and six seconds from 14 starts.#GreyhoundRacing #PremierRacing @Thedogs_com_au pic.twitter.com/AllY98XCWl

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) March 30, 2023

Starline Express wasn't the only star missing from Sunday night's The Thunderbolt heats with smart Victorian Dundee Smokey, a recent third to Amron Boy in the Group 1 Harrison-Dawson at Sandown Park, also balloted out.

A number of other well-credentialed runners also missed out on a series berth with it understood GRNSW plan to revisit the grading criteria and programming for next year's event.