Pass The Buck with Anthony Azzopardi at Traralgon. 📷 Clint Anderson
Last year’s Phoenix favourite Pass The Buck will not be heading to the National Sprint series despite a blinding return to racing last week, instead his next outing will be at Warragul this Friday night.
He returned last Friday and won in a time of 25.17 which made him the second fastest greyhound ever over Geelong’s 460m.
Top 5: Black Magic Opal (25.106, 2013), Pass The Buck (25.172), Dyna Hunter (25.213, 2018), Rebellious (25.235, 2021) and Farmor Las Vegas (25.239, 2013)
“I was relieved [with his return]. Given what he’d been doing in trials we expected him to do something special, not on that night though given the conditions,” said trainer Anthony Azzopardi.
“It’s what special dogs do, they surprise you.”
It was his first race since February after a couple of setbacks.
“He’s always had an issue with his wrist which unfortunately all we can do is manage it,” Azzopardi said.
“It’s been really good though, it’s given him no trouble since his last start at The Meadows.
“He was back in work after a couple of months off and he was airborne, just flying. He was getting ready for the Brisbane Cup and he injured his pin muscle.
“The race at Geelong was only his fifth run back but he had done plenty of work at home. He’s going the best he ever has.”
Azzopardi has opted to target one turn tracks in the short term as opposed to heats of Victoria’s sector of the National Sprint next Thursday night, with the long term aim the Million Dollar Chase.
He races at Warragul this Friday night and meets gun sprinter Lakeview Emily and a host of other sharp types in a mouthwatering contest to start the weekend.
Highly talented youngster Needful has recently joined Azzopardi’s kennel and was amazing at Shepparton on Monday, breaking 25 seconds. He now heads to The Meadows this Saturday night in Race 3.
“He’s heading in the right direction,” Azzopardi said of Needful.
“Buddha (Daniel Pell) is concentrating on the breeding side of things, I have the resources to travel interstate which is hard for him to do. We’ve been good mates for a long time.”
WATCH: Pass The Buck (4) runs amuck at Geelong
WATCH: Needful (3) cuts loose at Shepparton
Jason Adams has been involved in greyhound racing for 10 years. He spent almost all of that time at Sandown Park before recently transitioning to GRV. He’s also a part of the Sky Racing team and regular contributor on RSN. Part-owner of promising racehorse Keshi Boom.
A night of solid highlights in readiness for next week’s Nationals heats.
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