Moving a Wagga feature meeting forward to try and avoid the heat failed to come off.
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Only two of the 10 greyhound races set down for Friday were run before stewards declared it was too hot trackside for the program to continue.
With temperatures reaching 38 degrees on track, the meeting was called off before the running of the feature events the Leo Hartley Memorial or the New Year’s Cup.
The meeting was originally set down for a night meeting, but was brought forward to start just after 10am with the forecast top of 42.
Wagga trainer Garry Anesbury was one of the lucky ones who managed to take something away from the meeting.
He took out the second race with Lochie’s Mate.
After a second behind kennelmate Ninja Sloy at Young on Boxing Day, the short back up proved no hurdle.
Instead Lochie’s Mate ($3.50) jumped to the front from box seven and then held off Sandy Flash ($2.40 favourite) to win by 2½ lengths.
Anesbury was confident the two-day turnaround would not be an issue.
“It doesn’t worry him” Anesbury said.
“He’s handles it and is a good dog.
“He’s a strong little fella over the 400 and we’ll try him over the 500 when he turns three and go from there.”
Anesbury believes he shows plenty of promise.
The Wagga trainer is looking to give him a good freshen up with some swimming in the river before heading to Shepparton.
“He’s a Victorian class dog so he’ll probably have a week or 10 days off now and Shepparton will be his next target over the 450,” he said.
Ninja Sloy was set to line up in the New Year’s Cup before the heat set in.
While disappointed to miss out on the chance to take the $1600 first prize, Anesbury was at peace with the call.
“She has been a bridesmaid that many times and I thought today was her day and there’s no racing,” he said.
“But the welfare of the dogs come first without a doubt.”
Future plans for the feature races are still to be determined however Wagga next races on January 6.
The meeting is a twilight Sunday affair with the club trialling a different timeslot with no races run in Canberra anymore after the ACT government ban.
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