Sambar Boxed To Strike In Launceston Cup Heats

TRAINER Paul Hili is hoping his recent luck with box draws continues if his powerhouse galloper Nitro Sambar qualifies for next week's Group 2 Ladbrokes Launceston Cup Final (515m).

On Monday night, the 16-time winning son of Dyna Double One exits the coveted rails alley in heat three of the $40,000 to-the-winner series, his third box one in succession.

"All he'd been drawing before that was five or six so hopefully if he gets through it continues for another week," said Hili.

With the benefit of box one and an outstanding Launceston record, Nitro Sambar will start a short priced favourite in a Launceston Cup heat described by Hili as one of the "quieter" of the six qualifiers.

"When you look at his record and the dogs he's been racing it does look a favourable heat," Hili explained.

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"His second to Hello Rhonda at Devonport on Tuesday was very good. You just can't give dogs of her quality a start in that kind of time. I said to the owners he's racing more like a 500 metre dog now than a 450 dog. He goes well at all the tracks down here but Launceston is his favourite, he loves it."

Boasting a fast personal best time at Launceston of 29.63, Nitro Sambar has raced at the track on 15 occasions for eight wins a further five placings.

And with his sometimes erratic box manners hopefully a thing of the past, Hili is confident that the best is still ahead for his 2 ½ year old galloper.

"I've had some very good dogs over the years but nothing as honest and that chases as hard as he does," said Hili.

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“He just got it from day dot. When I was breaking him in I'd slip him 4-5 lengths behind his brothers and sisters and he'd still beat them 4-5. When he was 14 months I gave him a 278 at Launceston and he went 16.11 – first go you're happy if they go around 16.50."

In the money at 31 of his 37 career starts, Hili is toying with the idea of heading to the mainland in the not too distant future with Nitro Sambar, a trip that will all but be rubber-stamped if he lands the Launceston Cup.

"My father isn't too well in Victoria so I'm looking to go visit him and take Nitro Sambar with me," Hili said.

"He's a good traveler but he's a bit like most Dyna Double Ones – he can get a bit wound up. Touch wood his box manners are better now than what they were before.

“I was doing box work with him at home there for a while but the more I did the worse he got … but he's settled down now. Box draws don't really bother him; it's more what's drawn around him up in the grade he's in now."

Monday night's Launceston Cup heats are stacked with quality performers, including Robin Grubb's reigning champion Hello Rhonda.

In a most intriguing second heat, Hello Rhonda tackles Debbie Cannan's unbeaten juvenile Amy Cora, last week's Hobart Maiden Thousand winner drawn box one for her Launceston debut.

Some of the other notable entries for the series include Awesome Catch, Wynburn Lethal, Raging Ralston, Caishen, Immediate and last year's series runner-up Be Like Bill.