HEAT ONE: The first heat of the City Hotels Challenge was run on Thursday.
Jason Mackay’s exciting dog Zipping Mitch scored the second win of his fledgling career in claiming the first heat of the City Hotels Challenge at Maitland on Thursday.
Zipping Mitch, from Mackay’s Richmond Vale kennels, staged a superb comeback to eventually steam past Spring Regal to win by two lengths in 25.48 seconds.
It was Vince Multari’s Spring Regal which started best and jumped out to an early lead.
However, Zipping Mitch showed a good burst of speed to win over the 450 metres and claim the heat along with the $1080 prizemoney.
There was an upset in heat two as Darren Sultana’s Criminal Krunch had his colours lowered by Wallamba Blackie.
The $2 favourite had been expected to win but Robert Glover’s black dog had enough to go on and score the fifth win of his 13-race career by almost two lengths in an identical time to that run by Zipping Mitch, 25.48 seconds.
Criminal Krunch’s kennel mate Packing Krunch was scratched from heat three,which allowed Super Hindy to produce another upset in winning by two and a half lengths.
Super Hindy, in his 56th career start, surprised favourite Sull’s Flame and Cosmic Kane to win in 25.50 seconds, paying $11.40.
The win was the 11th of the white and brindle dogs career.
In the distance event, race six over 565 metres, there was an exciting finish as Wally Wonder won by a nose from the favourite Cawbourne Haze.
Terry Priest’s white dog was first home in 32.22 seconds with Cawbourne Haze second and Bandana Pete a further head back.
Wally Wonder, paying $11.70 for the victory, scored his second win in his 11th career start.
