The Frank Hurst-trained Good Odds Cobber will be chasing his third Group win in just six weeks, but judging by some of the performances in Sunday night’s heats of the Ladbrokes Temora Cup, he won’t have things all his own way next week.
Good Odds Cobber - winner of the Group 1 Gold Bullion in January at Albion Park, and the Group 2 Bulli Gold Cup last month – was tipped to win his heat having drawn the coveted box 1, a box he won both those Group features from, and having won eight of nine times when he has worn the red rug.
And it looked like it was going tor script early when Good Odds Cobber jumped well and pushed up under his co-leaders Zipping Kristoff and Unleash In Miami.
But as the trio headed for the first turn, Good Odds Cobber looked to get tightened and dropped back slightly, as Unleash In Miami exploded away.
Trained just south of Temora at Illabo by Peter Sims, Unleash In Miami – who was third in the Bulli Gold Cup – dashed away and posted a very slick 25.64s win. Good Odds Cobber ran home stoutly to grab second 1½ lengths back with Zipping Kristoff third another two lengths back in 25.89s, a time fast enough to secure a berth in next Sunday’s $40,000 final.
While Good Odds Cobber was the drawcard, the star of the heats was the Ken Burnett-trained Power And Glory.
Having his first start since December after being injured in a heat of the Gosford Cup, but on the back of a very quick trial last week at Wentworth Park, Power And Glory was away fairly but was soon surging forward and had the leader Speedy Pie in his sights before the first turn.
Power And Glory went roaring past Speedy Pie and raced away for a stunning 6¼ length win in the fastest time of the heats, 25.42s.
Speedy Pie hung on for second and earned her place in the final, while Let’s Go Frosty was third, another ½ length away in 25.90s a time quick enough to secure a final berth.
Power And Glory has now won 12 of his 24 starts and will be looking to secure his first big feature race in the Temora Cup Final.
Last year he finished third in the Robert Smith Memorial Maiden, third behind Good Odds Cobber in the New Sensation Final, second in the Gosford Goldmine Final, sixth in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Dapto Megastar and second to Miss Envy in the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase Consolation.
Another greyhound like Good Odds Cobber chasing repeat Group success in 2025 is Sooty Keeping who took out the opening heat of the Temora Cup in 25.79s.
Just over a week ago the Charmaine Roberts-trained Sooty Keeping scored her first big race win when she took out the Ladbrokes Richmond Oaks, and she will now be after more Group glory after an impressive performance.
While she can be tardy at the jump, there was no sign of that on Sunday in Temora and she jumped cleanly, matching it with Ali Tango early, then showing good tenacity to run to the lead and hold off challengers.
Second went to the Jack Smith-trained Midnight Money a length away with Stew Bob a further 1¾ lengths back in third.
The Temora Cup Final will be run next Sunday night, March 16.
