Dundee duo set for Cup showdown


Geoff Scott-Smith enters Thursday night’s RSN Sandown Cup – the world’s richest staying race – with two genuine chances.

Dundee Osprey and Dundee Calypso are drawn side-by-side and are both considered $10 chances by TAB. A win by Dundee Osprey would be his fourth at Group 1 level and add $175,000 to his prize money tally, taking it to $651,715 – seventh in the all-time top stake earners.

VIDEO: RSN927 Sandown Cup Preview

This time last year Dundee Osprey won the Harrison-Dawson, the first of his three Group 1 triumphs in what was a dominant 2016. He only recently stepped up to the staying trip as Scott-Smith thought he’d lost some spark over the sprint distance.

“He’s lost a yard or two early, I thought the best option would be to step him up. With a drop back to 595m for a couple races I hoped it would freshen him up a bit. He came out running (in his heat) and never gave them a chance,” said Scott-Smith following Dundee Osprey’s heat win.

His kennel mate Dundee Calypso came into the series on the back of four straight wins before being run down in the closing stages of her heat by favourite for the final, Burn One Down. Her impressive run of form prior to the series caught the eye of greyhound racing purists, some labeling her as the most improved chaser in the country.

“I’m so pleased with her. Although she led she didn’t get it all her own way, she just didn’t have enough of a break to hold on – it was still a fantastic effort,” explained Scott-Smith following Calypso’s heat.

Osprey and Calypso are owned and bred by Scott-Smith who has been blessed with great success over the last 18 months, having only returned to the sport in recent years following a 30 year hiatus.

“I had greyhounds throughout the 70s and 80s though had to give them up as work got busy and I got married.

“A few years ago I was offered a dog, which I took and got him fit – he went on to win some races and it all started again from there.”

All of Scott-Smith’s greyhounds carry the Dundee prefix, a name that means a lot to the Pakenham South based trainer.

“My mum came from Scotland and she lived in a town called Dundee, unfortunately she died a couple years ago. It come to the time when I needed to name the dogs and I came up with the idea of having a prefix for them, so I chose Dundee.”

The RSN Sandown Cup headlines what will be a memorable night of greyhound racing. The Cup, along with the Group 1 Harrison-Dawson, Group 1 Sapphire Crown and Listed Cup Night Stayers, fill a high quality quaddie which boasts a projected $250,000 pool.

Click here for tomorrow night’s fields and form

Cameraemoji2: Geoff Scott-Smith with Dundee Osprey following his heat win

Dundee Osprey claims his heat of the RSN Sandown Cup

 

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Jason Adams
About Jason Adams - Racing Operations Coordinator at Sandown Park. Over 8 years involvement in greyhound racing and one of the sport's biggest and most passionate fans.
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