Chinatown The Chairman Of The Board

UNTROUBLED in execution and uncomplicated for his supporters best summarises Chinatown Lad win in tonight’s Group 3 Chairman’s Cup at Wentworth Park.
The multiple group race winning son of Lilli Pilli Lad, after his record breaking 41.93 seconds effort on August 30 and last Saturday’s 42.43 (best) heat win, was always an odds on favourite for the $15.000 to the winner race and, from the first turn, dominated a smart line-up.
After wresting the lead from Spring Belle after 200m, Chinatown Lad held a six lengths break in the middle stages and safely held a gallant Varvatos to score by 1 1/2 lengths in a slashing 42.23.
Interestingly, the winning time split the difference’ between his track record and the Chairman’s Cup heat time.
Varvatos had been only fifth early on and his effort was of the highest order.
Chinatown Lad’s litter sister and kennelmate Fallen Zorro raced in the first half of the field from the first turn yet, as was the case when second to Varvatos in her heat last weekend, ran her race in patches and could only manage third, just on four lengths from the winner.
Varvatos’s sister Spring Belle held on for fourth (narrowly ahead of Double Trouble) and completed a rare two-litter ‘first four’ for any contest, let alone a feature event.
The finishing, in fact, order replicated the TAB Fixed Odds betting market which was first set on Wednesday afternoon.
The win provides impetus to Chinatown Lad’s prospects of breaking the Victorian stranglehold on Australian Greyhound of the Year honours but there are also a couple of very talented Queenslanders eyeing that prize!
Next on the group racing calendar for the stayers is the Group 2 Sydney Cup (also at Wentworth Park).
The Sydney Cup heats will staged on Paws Of Thunder semi final night (September 27) when National Distance Champion Mantra Lad is expected to take on Chinatown Lad, Varvatos and co.