Traction in control

FORMER rising greyhound star Traction Control produced the upset of the night at Sandown Park last Thursday to win the Schweppes Melbourne Cup Prelude at the juicy odds of $38.90.
The 2005 Group 3 DDC Launching Pad winner settled midfield after jumping from the awkward box five, before taking advantage of a dream run to move to second behind early leader Dyna Checa.
He proved too strong in the run to the line, powering away to score by more than five lengths from Thierry Bale in 30.02 seconds.
The win was Traction Control’s first at Sandown Park since claiming a Melbourne Cup Prelude in October last year, and was his sixth from 13 starts at the Lightwood Road circuit.
Odds-on favourite Path To Power, winner of this year’s Group 3 DDC Launching Pad, began poorly from box eight before weaving his way through the field to finish a further 1.25 lengths away third.
With the win, trainer Rob Crawford has assured his charge of a start in the heats of the Melbourne Cup.
The fastest Melbourne Cup Prelude win belonged to consistent Langwarrin-based chaser Observe with a time of 29.98 seconds.
The victory was his eighth consecutive race win.
Others assured of a place in the Melbourne Cup heats after the meeting include Jason Thompson’s My Shout, Peter Dapiran’s Leefull and Graham Bates’ charge Red Legend.
The second Melbourne Cup Prelude series will be run next Thursday, 21 September.