Fernando Bale will jump from box 1 in Friday night’s TAB Melbourne Cup heats in what is shaping as his final campaign on the track.
The first greyhound to break one million dollars in prize money, Fernando Bale has been placed in his last 32 starts – winning 29 times including all 11 group finals he’s contested – and has won five of his six starts from the inside box. He boasts six wins from eight starts at Sandown Park and will start at long odds on to win his way through the $600,000 final.
Fernando Bale will be joined in the heats by five other group 1 winners – Above All, Lamia Bale, Secret Spell, Oakvale Destiny and Zambora Brockie – and in all 18 of the 64 runners have tasted success at group level.
The heat runners have combined for 853 wins from 2641 starts (32% winning strike rate) and over $6.6m in prize money.
Four heats of the group 1 Bold Trease will also be contested, and feature 32 of the best ‘half-milers’ in the country. Dual Sandown Cup winner Sweet It Is will headline the Bold Trease heats and will be aiming to defend her 2014 title.
Group race winners Lady Toy, Luna Jinx, Dzeko and Ada Mary will also take their place in the heats, and will need to finish in the first two of their respective heats in order to progress to the $145,000 final.
Click here for the full fields for Friday’s TAB Melbourne Cup and Bold Trease heats.
The first race will be run at 7.08pm and entry to the track is free.
