The Ladbrokes Dapto Easter Bunny might not be worth as much as the Country Classic or Golden Easter Egg series’ he recently contested, but for trainer Steve Fitch, a victory with August Bob in Thursday night’s final would still be satisfying.
“I’d just be happy for him to win a nice race considering he was away from the track for a long-time last year with a stopper tendon injury…we’re just happy to be back racing to be honest,” Fitch said.
The son of My Redeemer x Gramercy Park has endured an indifferent 12-months, with a stopper tendon injury halting the career of one of the state’s rising stars.
August Bob with trainer Steve Fitch after his 29.88 heat win in the Ladbrokes Dapto Easter Bunny
‘Bob’ burst onto the scene at Dapto back in 2023 with a pair of dazzling victories in 29.61 and 29.66.
Appearances in the 2024 National Derby and Brisbane Young Guns finals followed, and the Nowra-based speedster was earmarked as a dog to watch entering the back half of the year.
Then injury struck, forcing him off the track for six months between July and January, 2025.
“He turned a few heads when he went 29.6 and not long after he started getting into some good races,” Fitch added.
“Then he got hurt and I had nothing else in the kennel going that good, so it was frustrating having to sit out and watch races like the Dapto Megastar and the Million Dollar Chase knowing what he was capable of.”
“He loves Dapto and he was a 29.3 dog at Wenty so it was a shame, but I’m glad we have him back. He was always a bit hit and miss at the beginning and maybe he’s lost that brilliance early…but his top end speed and strength is still the same.”
“I don’t think he’s got slower in the last 12 months; it’s just other dogs have got faster. Track records are in danger all over the place these days.”
The 20-time winner enjoying a purple patch of form once again after finishing fifth in the Country Classic final in March and securing a semi-final appearance in the Egg two weeks ago.
He’s now likely to start favourite for the Dapto Easter Bunny, especially after drawing Box 2 for Thursday night’s $7,000 decider.
“Very happy with the draw. I think Forners Storm [last year’s winner] will lead from Box 1 because it went 5.41 to the mark last week so hopefully that happens and ‘Bob’ sits behind him and can be too strong in the run home,” Fitch said.
“You want to be in the first three getting around that first bend at Dapto otherwise you’re in trouble. Balmoral Queen went pretty good last week against ‘Bob’ and she was in the Easter Egg heats too so she’s a danger.”
“My guy is obviously graded very well. He goes back to a fifth-grade provincial race after being the sixth fastest dog on Easter Egg heat night.”
"He had to cover a bit of ground last week and he hadn’t been to Dapto for 12 months, so I was very happy with the heat effort. The owner Paul Foreshew also hasn’t been well, he’s had some serious health issues so a good performance would lift his spirits.”
The Ladbrokes Dapto Easter Bunny final will go off in Race 9 on Thursday night’s program on the South Coast.
