FAVOURITE Zipping Chebet lived up to the hype with a commanding all-the-way victory in Sunday afternoon’s Merv Page Cup Final over 366m at Capalaba.
The $2.05 favourite exploded from the boxes, quickly crossing to the lead before drifting into the centre of the track and opening a decisive break on her rivals.
From there, the result was never in doubt as she raced away to claim one of Capalaba’s feature straight-track events.
The Tom Tzouvelis- trained bitch continued her outstanding record at the Bayside venue, making it four wins from four starts on the Capalaba straight.
By Zipping Kyrgios out of Zipping Zarbo, Zipping Chebet has now compiled seven wins and seven placings from 26 career starts, continuing the strong form shown by her litter.
She is one of 11 pups from the litter, with siblings Zipping Houlihan, Zipping Tesfay and Zipping Mehary all having also enjoyed successful racing careers, each earning more than $40,000 in prizemoney.
The Merv Page Cup, first run in 2001, remains one of the marquee events on Capalaba’s straight-track calendar, with Zipping Chebet adding her name to the honour roll in emphatic fashion.
Hara’s Loki produced the upset of the afternoon in the Terry McSherry Classic, charging home at $18 to snatch victory in a thrilling finish at Capalaba.
Punters expected Sobriquet to dominate as the $1.60 favourite on her first look at the Capalaba straight, but the race unfolded very differently from box rise.
Giverny ($26) exploded from the boxes to take the early lead, with Orlando Beach ($61) pressing forward from the outside.
As the field charged towards the line, Saif ($3.20) swept to the front in the shadows of the post before Hara’s Loki launched one final surge.
Hara’s Loki and Giverny hit the line locked together with Saif, but Hara’s Loki got the decisive nod.
The victory completed a remarkable market drift for the Cynthia Suttle-trained chaser, who eased from $6 to $18 before the jump having not won since April.
