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Dash for cash wide open at Stawell
The 2009 Australia Post Stawell Gift remains wide open following the release of the draw for tomorrow’s semi finals of Australia’s richest footrace.
With just the winners proceeding to the final in each of the six sudden death semi finals and with 16 runners within two tenths of a second of each other in the heats, the Gift is one of the most open in the history of the event.
Adelaide human movement graduate Dale Woodhams (7.5m) who is coached by 1985 Stawell winner Paul Young produced the fastest time of the day in the heats and will start favourite in semi final four.
Australian beach sprint champion Aaron Stubbs (7.25m) had the fastest ‘adjusted’ time of 12.18, which factors in the particular wind conditions in each race. Stubbs faces Australian 400m champion Sean Wroe in a semi that may determine the Gift favourite.
Former swimwear model David Tinney (10m) in semi three and 2004 Bay Sheffield winner Andrew Steele in semi five will be hard to toss. Tinney (12.12) and Steele (12.14) looked impressive yesterday.
Bookmakers have installed Woodhams as favourite at $4 but by setting Steele and Stubbs at $4.50, Tinney at $7 and Wroe at $8 have reflected the widespread uncertainty about the outcome.
2009 Australia Post Stawell Gift Semi Finals Form Guide
Semi Final 1 – 12.10pm
Joshua ROSS Tullamarine, VIC 0
Iain MACFARLANE Homebush, NSW 5
James LOBLEY Brighton, VIC 7
Brendan MATTHEWS Canberra, ACT 7
Kevin BRITTAIN Geelong, VIC 7.5
Matthew HARGREAVES Werribee, VIC 7.75
Matthew EDDY Noble Park, VIC 10
Two-time winner Joshua Ross seems to have the task ahead of him in this open first semi final. Two teenagers will fight out this one - 2009 Don Furness 70m winner at St Bernards two weeks ago, Kevin Brittain (19), clocked the fastest time of these semi-finalists (12.18) in the heats but expect the challenge to come from Canberra-based Brendan Mathews (17), the 2008 Queenbeyan Gift winner and Australian Schools 400m champion, who was only just shaded by Brittain in yesterday’s heats and will be certain to have learnt from the experience. The early favourite for the 2009 Gift, Matthew Hargreaves would need to improve on yesterday’s heat run of 12.30 to be a factor.
Semi Final 2 – 12.15pm
Aaron ROUGE-SERRET Boronia, VIC 1
Liam GANDER Newcastle, NSW 5.5
Daniel STEINHAUSER Albury, NSW 5.75
Tom BURBIDGE Canberra, ACT 7.25
Damian TOHL Adelaide, SA 8
Paul TANCREDI Canberra ACT 8.75
Simon JACKSON Bentleigh, VIC 10
Australian 200m champion Aaron Rouge-Serret should get a good warm up for the TAB Big6 backmarkers later in the afternoon as he attempts to chase down the likes of Liam Gander, Daniel Steinhauser and Paul Tancredi in this open semi final. Tancredi (12.18 in heat) won the Keilor Gift this year and has also appeared in the finals in Ballarat and Rye. Gander has fine flat speed, having clocked 10.68 and cruised in his heat to clock 12.43. Steinhauser won the Maryborough Gift on New Year’s Day and clocked a handy 12.20 in his heat so cannot be discounted. Tom Burbidge is a training partner of Brendan Matthews and will not be out of it after his 12.33 heat win.
Semi Final 3 – 12.20pm
Bola LAWAL Melbourne, VIC 1.25
Justin MERLINO Sydney, NSW 6
Nicholas BOYLETT Brisbane, QLD 6
Russell SCOTT Adelaide, SA 7.5
Edward WARE East Lakes, NSW 8.25
Nathan FOX Ballarat, VIC 10
David TINNEY Hamlyn Heights, VIC 10
Former swimwear model David Tinney of Geelong looks the stand out here after cruising to victory in a slick 12.11 in the heats – the second fastest time of the day. Tinney has reached the final at Melbourne, Maryborough, Daylesford, Sandringham, Keilor and Bendigo this season and may well hit his straps at Stawell. Australian 110m hurdles champion Justin Merlino looked impressive in clocking the fastest time of the day in the 70m but didn’t run as well in the Gift heat (12.50). Queensland’s Nicholas Boylett will be the main danger after his 12.30 yesterday.
Semi Final 4 – 12:29pm
Matt DAVIES Brisbane, QLD 2.25
Ryan TURTON Rutherford, NSW 6.25
Dale WOODHAMS Adelaide, SA 7.5
Matthew PILKINGTON Camperdown, NSW 7.75
Paul CRACROFT-WILSON Gold Coast, QLD 8.5
Gary MONGTA Point Cook, VIC 8.75
Cam DUNBAR Ringwood East, VIC 10
1985 Stawell Gift winner Paul Young-coached Dale Woodhams set the fastest time in the heats with a slick 12.10, and the guidance of his coach will help the South Australian. Woodhams took out the Mt Gambier Gift this season and was well supported in betting on Friday night. The main danger will be Queenslander Matt Davies who is a quality sprinter boasting PB’s of 10.37/20.77 for 100m/200m respectively. Davies just missed a spot in the final last year and ran 12.21 in his heat, so Woodhams will only need to falter slightly to have Davies on his tail. 2002 World Junior representative Ryan Turton is the best of the rest.
Semi Final 5 - 12:34pm
Keith SHEEHY Newcastle, NSW 3.25
Craig BROWN Tullamarine, VIC 6
Greg EYEARS Bankstown, NSW 6.5
Peter WALSH Corio, VIC 7.75
Andrew STEELE Adelaide, SA 8.25
Josh TIU Doncaster, VIC 9.5
Rodney MATHEWS Ballarat, VIC 10
Open affair with plenty of chances. South Australian architect Andrew Steele impressed with the third fastest time in the heats (12.13) and the 28-year-old gets his best chance to take the $40,000 first prize. Has impressive credentials, including a win in the 2004 Bay Sheffield have him right in this. He won’t have it his own way, 2008 finalist Keith Sheehy ran a PB over 200m in Canberra a fortnight ago and clocked 12.37 in the heat. Craig Brown produced the biggest margin of the day to win his heat in 12.26 and is aiming for his first Stawell final. Peter Walsh also ran a slick 12.27 and is a winner of the Burramine Gift in 2009. Throw in Josh Tiu (12.31) and this heat should be a cracker.
Semi Final 6 – 12.39
Sean WROE Murrumbeena, VIC 4.5
Robert VIDLER Hoppers Crossing, VIC 6.75
Aaron STUBBS Lismore, NSW 7.25
Shane MCKENZIE Kilsyth, VIC 7.75
Daniel SAMMUT Ourimbah, NSW 9.75
Andrew CURTIS Brisbane, QLD 9.75
Simon MENZ Willaura, VIC 10
Australian beach sprint champion Aaron Stubbs is the man to beat, after the Kurrawa surf lifesaver raced home in 12.13 yesterday. He can handle the pressure as he dispensed with two-time winner Josh Ross yesterday, and will now face Australian 400m champion Sean Wroe, who easily won his heat in 12.23. Former long jumper Andrew Curtis and 400m specialist Simon Menz are the best of the rest, but this semi is a battle between Stubbs and Wroe and whoever wins will have a great chance of taking home the big cheque from Australia post in the final.
The Central Park action kicks off tomorrow at 10:10am, with the semi finals of the Stawell Gift from 12:10pm with the running of the 128th Australia Post Stawell Gift at 1:43pm.
Tickets: $25 Adults, $15 Concession, $7 Children, $60 Family
For further information, please visit www.stawellgift.com
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