There aren’t many feature races that have eluded the mighty Minnie Finn here in NSW but the Ladbrokes Brothers Fox is one the kennel had never tasted success in…until tonight.
Gets Late Early, already a multiple Group race winner for Finn, added another feature final triumph to her resume with a gripping victory at Dawson Park.
The blue-bred daughter of Flying Ricciardo x Poco Dorado jumped well from a tricky Box 6 alley and quickly gained the ascendency over the two pre-race favourites in Black Myth Wave and Sooty Keeping boxed outside her.
It didn’t take her long to lock onto the heels of early leader Speedy Pie up the back straight, and once she pulled alongside her as they turned for home, it always looked like Gets Late Early would finish the stronger.
The former National Futurity winner edging to the front in the shadows of the post to score in 29.49, with Speedy Pie (0.25 lengths) and Zipping Kristoff (1.5 lengths) finishing second and third respectively.
“She’s a very exciting little girl…she did it last week [ran an early leader down] and she’s done it again tonight,” Finn said post-race.
“The whole litter broke in very ordinary, but we just kept poking them along and they’ve ended up alright.”
Gets Late Early won the National Futurity in 2024 and the 2025 Gosford Gold Cup
“The owners have been very lucky, they only paid $6000 to get into the sport with their first dog and they’ve done really well with three litters.”
The win setting up an intriguing conundrum for NSW State Of Origin selectors, with Gets Late Early notching up win number 31 to go with more than $360,000 in career prize money.
“If they [selectors] were looking at her, we’d fly her up there and try it. But if not, we’ll just go to Gunnedah [for the Chief Havoc Cup].
Earlier in the night, the time-honoured Bill & Peg Miller Memorial final was taken out by El Rey, with the promising youngster surging away from a classy field to win in an identical time to Gets Late Early (29.49).
The impressive nature of the victory not unexpected by emerging mentor, Bailey Pringle.
“Last week he was green as grass as Dad [Dave Pringle] said but I was glad he was able to come out today and show them what he can really do,” Pringle said.
“It’s been a very long time since we’ve had a dog like him…it’s very, very rewarding to finally have a dog going around that’s this good.”
As for what’s next for the unbeaten El Rey?
“Hopefully to Wenty as soon as possible to show them what he can really do. We know what he’s capable of and he’s got plenty left in him,” Pringle added.
“He’s always led the litter as the top standard and he showed tonight he can run those times…I reckon he can go faster but that’s for the future.”
Zipping Ariel ran home 2.5 lengths behind the winner, with Motor City Chief finishing third.
In the night’s other feature races, the Feral Franky @ Stud Future Stars was claimed by Westside Bliss.
The Ricky Brewer-prepared runner surged to the front from Box 3 in the annual mixed 4th/5th grade feature, and withstood a mighty challenge from Better Light Up to claim the win by just 0.06 of a second.
Westside Bliss’ final time of 22.85 was nearly a two-length improvement on her heat win a week ago, with Give It All running home into third-place.
And the Zipping Kyrgios @ Stud Mega Maiden, Babette Fusion flew the lids and never looked back in an all the way win for Kylie McDonald.
The daughter of Tommy Shelby x Sprinkle Fusion was having start number four for the kennel and saluted in 18.43 ahead of pre-race favourite My Bread Roll and Motor City Hawk.
