What a time to be a greyhound racing fan!
With the Million Dollar Chase in the books, attention now turns to the Melbourne spring features and in particular, the TAB Melbourne Cup. The heats of the world’s greatest greyhound race are exactly one month away and trainers, punters and fans are sharpening their focus on the greyhound racing’s night of nights.
This year’s list of Cup contenders is as exciting as it is long. With a number of established stars retiring through winter, a new generation of sprinting superstars have emerged through spring, keen to etch their name into history.
So who wins it? The pre-nomination market has been open since December 2018, and there’s plenty of value to be found IF you can identify the winner now. It’d be pretty dull if we talked about greyhounds that have already won at group 1 level – obviously they’re contenders. And the greyhounds that reached the Million Dollar Chase final are clearly at the top of their game. So we’re going to leave them out here and focus on five greyhounds that are quietly going about their business and marching towards the $630,000 series.
Feel free to share your thoughts on this list and let us know who you’ll be cheering on at @sandowndogs.
Check out who has punched their ticket to the TAB Melbourne Cup heats (as well as the conditions for the race) at TABMelbourneCup.com.au.
And click here for the latest market from www.tab.com.au.
Whiskey Riot
Trainer: Anthony Azzopardi
Record: 31 starts 15-8-1
Prize money: $151,185
Sandown best: 29.26
Cup status: Needs to run in a Prelude
TAB Melbourne Cup odds: $31
The two time group 1 runner up is a crazy price given his race record. Found trouble in the Maturity final, and had the Adelaide shot to bits until Hooked On Scotch came from the clouds to record a win for the ages. Had Whiskey Riot hung on he’d be half his current quote, and with an excellent record at the track (two wins and second from three starts) and excellent form lines around some of the sport’s biggest names, he looks ready to take the next step.
Whiskey Riot (4) defeats Neo Cleo in a flying 29.26!
Who Told Stevie
Trainer: David Burnett
Record: 6 starts 5-0-0
Prize money: $18,160
Sandown best: 29.46
Cup status: Needs to run in a Prelude
TAB Melbourne Cup odds: $31
Originally opened at $301 before being steadily backed his current quote, and will shorten further if as expected he wins the Great Chase at The Meadows on Wednesday. His five wins so far have been by a combined 33 lengths with three of those wins the best time of the day. Trainer David Burnett has been quoted as saying he arrived as fast as any dog he’s ever had and he keeps finding lengths. If that continues, he could be a truly scary prospect. Don’t forget his litter brother Simon Told Helen ($31) too.
Who Told Stevie (8) wins on his Sandown Park debut
Eight Ball
Trainer: Phil Smith
Record: 23 starts 9-4-4
Prize money: $43,085
Sandown best:
Cup status: Exempt – won Prelude 5
TAB Melbourne Cup odds: $31
Eight Ball turned heads with a 29.24 gallop that qualified him for the Bill Collins Speed Star at his 11th start in May, finishing fourth to Flynn in the final. He’s had just 12 starts since but is still just a baby, turning two and a half just prior to the Cup. Judging by his wins in heat of the Million Dollar Chase, followed by a TAB Melbourne Cup Prelude victory on a slow track last week, he’s close to returning to his best.
Eight Ball (6) punches his ticket to the Cup heats, winning Prelude 5
Weblec Ace
Trainer: Jeff Britton
Record: 19 starts 9-1-2
Prize money: $57,350
Sandown best: 29.40
Cup status: Needs to run in a Prelude
TAB Melbourne Cup odds: $31
One of a number of exciting prospects from the Jeff Britton/Angela Langton kennel, Weblec Ace won the Cranbourne Classic in August – a race 2018 TAB Melbourne Cup winner My Redeemer ran fourth in last year. Already with three wins from six starts at the track – two of which in 29.40 – and breaking 5.10 to the first mark in each of those victories, Weblec Ace could be the greyhound to break the Britton family Cups curse.
Weblec Ace (7) wins by 9 lengths!
Dyna Dave
Trainer: Craig Roberts
Record: 75 starts 35-15-11
Prize money: $217,739
Sandown best: No starts
Cup status: Exempt – NZ National Sprint winner
TAB Melbourne Cup odds: $71
Dyna Dave winning the TAB Melbourne Cup would be historic. He’d be the first kiwi winner since Kwik Metal in 1974, and the oldest winner since Sydney Dingaan in 1985. But the recently named NZ Middle Distance Greyhound of the Year (sprinters to us) is racing in exceptional form having been placed in his last 18 starts dating back to April, and despite not winning a group 1 race, has been placed in several including the National Sprint Championship in Cannington where he finished third behind Premium Share and MDC winner Good Odds Harada. Trainer Craig Roberts has experience campaigning greyhounds on this side of the Tasman with success, and the fact he handled the travel from Christchurch to Perth, Melbourne should be a stroll in the park. Oh, and he’s an exceptionally fast dog. If he makes the trip across (and indications are that he will), then there will be worst 70/1 chances on heats night.
Dyna Dave (6) is last out but first home in the NZ National Sprint final.
Greyhounds that have not won an exemption race MUST compete in a TAB Melbourne Cup Prelude to be eligible for the TAB Melbourne Cup heats on Friday 22 November. The final TAB Melbourne Cup Prelude series will be run on Thursday 31 October and Thursday 14 November.
The TAB Melbourne Cup will be run on Friday 29 November.
