Dundee Osprey, Outside Pass, Worm Burner and Zambora Brockie have been selected for the group 2 Shootout to be run at Sandown Park on Friday 4 November.
As announced on Sky Racing’s Catching Pen tonight, the four greyhounds will now race for the $50,000 winner-takes-all prize at Sandown Park on Friday 4 November.
“We’re delighted with the final field, this is going to be one of the races of the year,” said Michael Floyd, Racing and Media Manager at Sandown Park.
“All four greyhounds are proven at the highest level of the sport and are capable of carving out serious times. All four will appreciate the extra room afforded by the format of the race – it’s going to be fun seeing what these greyhounds are capable of doing with a clear run.”
The club received 12 nominations for the race often billed as the ‘Speed Championship of Australia’ and the task of reducing the field to the final four proved one of the most difficult in the race’s history. Dundee Osprey was exempted into the race by virtue of winning the Speed Star at Sandown Park in September, leaving the other three positions open to much debate.
“The quality and depth of nominations this year is the best we’ve ever had for the race, and all 12 nominations had legitimate claims for a spot in the field. After extensive discussions with GRV Chief Grader Andrew Mills, we settled on the four greyhounds whose past performances and current form most warranted a crack at the speed championship of Australia.”
The box draw for the race will be conducted during Thursday night’s meeting and streamed live on the club’s Facebook page. Connections of each greyhound will be drawn at random and will then select the box from which the greyhound will jump.
The Shootout kicks off three massive nights of greyhound racing culminating with the world’s richest greyhound race, the TAB Melbourne Cup on Friday 18 November.
Click here for the latest market from tab.com.au.
Trainer – Geoff Scott-Smith
Record – 34 starts 14-3-5
Prizemoney – $345,260
BON wins – 10
Sandown 515m record – 9 starts 6-0-1
Sandown 515m best – 29.11 (18/2/16)
Speed Star Trial – 29.237
Other times – 29.75 at the Meadows
Notes – Won the Speed Star, September 2016
TAB opening price – $2.50
WATCH – Dundee Osprey wins the Speed Star
Comment – “He is the country’s top sprinter at the moment. His win in the Topgun was outstanding and he’s probably better suited to Sandown Park where his average winning times in his six wins over the 515m at Sandown is 29.24, having never won in slower time than 29.31. He’s already won the group 1 Harrison-Dawson and the Speed Star at the track.”
OUTSIDE PASS
Trainer – Tony Apap
Record – 33 starts 14-5-2
Prizemoney – $114,273
BON wins – 7
Sandown 515m record – 3 starts 1-1-0
Sandown 515m best – 29.38 (20/10/16)
Speed Star Trial – 29.10
Other times – 29.63 at Albion Park, 29.63 at Wentworth Park
Notes – 2nd Bill Collins Speed Star
TAB opening price – $3.70
WATCH – Outside Pass win a Melbourne Cup Prelude
Comment – “Queensland’s best sprinter. She trialled in 29.10 ahead of the Bill Collins Speed Star before running second in the final. She recorded a number of fast wins at her home track Albion Park through the winter before having a freshen up after running 5th in the National Sprint Championship. Her win in last week’s Melbourne Cup Prelude was very impressive and showed she’s back to her brilliant best.”
WORM BURNER
Trainer – Cameron Butcher
Record – 52 starts 33-8-4
Prizemoney – $204,225
BON wins – 23
Sandown 515m record – No starts at Sandown Park
Sandown 515m best – NBT
Speed Star Trial – No trial
Other times – 29.17 at Angle Park
Notes – 32 of last 33 starts have been at Angle Park
TAB opening price – $6.50
WATCH – Worm Burner win the National Sprint Championship at Angle Park
Comment – “The National Champion and pride of South Australian greyhound racing. His 29.17 in that final was the fifth fastest time ever recorded at Angle Park, and while he has never raced at Sandown Park, his racing pattern certainly suggest he should be suited by the track and format.”
ZAMBORA BROCKIE
Trainer – Anthony Azzopardi
Record – 43 starts 26-4-5
Prizemoney – $369,133
BON wins – 21
Sandown 515m record – 5 starts 2-0-2
Sandown 515m best – 29.14 (21/7/16)
Speed Star Trial – No trial
Other times – 29.47 at the Meadows, 29.64 at Albion Park
Notes – 3rd in Speed Star, September 2016
TAB opening price – $2.90
WATCH – Zambora Brockie win at Sandown Park in 29.14
Comment – “He had been a little disappointing in his runs at Sandown until he finally broke through with a dazzling 29.14 win in July. After a recent break of four weeks, he’ll come into the Shootout with two runs under his belt and approaching peak fitness and as he’s shown throughout 2016, at his best he’s as fast as any greyhound in the country.”
RESERVES
(9) BLAZIN’ BOMBER
Trainer – Darren Pattinson
Record – 41 starts 20-6-6
Prizemoney – $175,530
BON wins – 10
Sandown 515m record – 10 starts 4-1-3
Sandown 515m best – 29.09 (5/5/16)
Speed Star Trial – 29.18
Other times – 29.85 on the old Cannington track, 29.71 at Albion Park, 30.10 at Wentworth Park, 29.61 at Angle Park
Notes – Won 2016 Bill Collins Speed Star
TAB opening price – $3.50
WATCH – Blazin’ Bomber win the Bill Collins Speed Star
Comment – “Another who has spent some time off racing of late, he returned from a two month layoff with a solid fourth at Sandown followed by a very impressive 29.64 run at Cranbourne. He showed in May’s Speed Star that when he’s right he’s as fast as any greyhound in the country, and will be a chance if he gets a run.”
(10) UNLAWFUL ENTRY
Trainer – Brett Bravo
Record – 47 starts 17-5-9
Prizemoney – $253,808
BON wins – 8
Sandown 515m record – 8 starts 3-1-1
Sandown 515m best – 28.95 (TRACK RECORD 17/3/16)
Speed Star Trial – No trial
Other times – 29.64 at the Meadows, HOB 25.78 at Hobart
Notes – Sandown track record holder
TAB opening price – $6.50
WATCH – Unlawful Entry set a new Sandown Park track record
Comment – “Tough to leave the track record holder out of a race like this, but has only won three races since setting the Sandown Park time standard in March, and only one of those was over 500m. He’s had his injury issues, but his run in the Topgun so hopefully for connections he’s close to returning to his best.”
*Comments by Mick Floyd
Other greyhounds nominated were Ando’s Mac, Benteke, Brad Hill Billy, Jesaulenko, Ritza Lenny and Yanong