Gardolls Keen Ahead Of Jack Sommerville Final

FATHER and son trainers Reg and Craig Gardoll have been anxiously awaiting the box draw for the final of the Jack Sommerville Northern Rivers Cup (450m) at Grafton.

Reg Gardoll has Albert's Memory in next Saturday night's final and Craig has Party Mode as first reserve after they finished first and third in a heat on Sunday night.

Two heats were decided at Casino on Tuesday to determine the make-up of the final.

Albert's Memory came up with box seven in the final.

Albert's Memory (Hard Style Rico-Miss Khatanga), well backed by connections at $16, upset raging hot $1.90 favourite Valhalla to win by two and a half lengths in his heat victory.

Party Mode was third.

“The box draw will be very important for the final because there is a lot of pace in the race and some of them need to draw right to win,” said Craig today.

Impress Dressel impressed at Grafton with the quickest 25.15 heat win in the Jack Sommerville Northern Rivers Cup! ????

He'll be joined by Isurava (H1) as well as Albert's Memory and Valhalla (H2) in the Final at Grafton on Saturday 20th April.#thedogs pic.twitter.com/geScTzjSlZ

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) April 14, 2024

“Albert has been a model of consistency, but he's been running second at his past five starts before the heat win.

“Once he began well and railed up early, he was always going to be hard to beat.

“That early pace is what brought Valhalla undone because he got in behind dogs.

“Albert is a really nice dog and has a great strike rate.

“The owners were really confident and they got $20 about him.”

Albert's Memory is raced by a syndicate of Grafton thoroughbred identities headed by Anthony Everingham and is named in honour of their great mate, the late Daryl “Albert” Gleeson.

Dave Irwin-trained Impress Dressel won the other heat of the Cup in a fast 25.15 beating Isurava and Seaton Key when coming off box eight.

“He's another who needs luck in big race finals and doesn't seem to get it,” said Craig.

“The draw needs to help him.”

Impress Dressel came up with the rails in the final.

The Cup is worth $50,000-to-the-winner.

Casino's heat winners were Steve Keep's All Lies Ahead in 27.70 and Blazing Bob in 27.61 All Lies Ahead has drawn the two and Blazing Bob the three in the final.

Nth Rivers Cup final (in box draw): 1 Impress Dressel, 2 All Lies Ahead, 3 Blazing Bob, 4 Kooringa Rafael, 5 Queen Wok, 6 Valhalla, 7 Albert's Memory, 8 Isurava. Res: 9 Party Mode, 10 Seaton Key.