It’s said every week, but tonight is a cracking night of greyhound racing at Sandown Park.
Starring the four highest ranked sprinters as well as the highest ranked stayer, there is no question the depth of Victorian greyhound racing is as good as it has ever been. Perhaps the best it’s been.
Two heats of the Victorian National Sprint Championship highlight the card, and the market suggests we’re in for two exciting match races.
In the first heat (race 3), Simon Told Helen meets Shima Shine in a match that pits the country’s top ranked greyhound against the fastest greyhound in 2020 against each other for the first time at Sandown Park. The two sons of Barcia Bale match up extraordinarily well and shapes as one of the most exciting clashes of the year.
The second heat (race 4) pits the darling of Sandown Park, Black Opium against McKenna Memorial winner Christo Bale. It’s a classic battle of speed versus strength, Black Opium a group 1 winner over 515m at Sandown Park, Christo Bale a group 2 winner over 595m.
The first four in each heat progress to next Thursday’s Victorian sprint final.
The quaddie will kick off with the Victorian National Distance final (race 5) and brings together the state’s, ergo, the nation’s premier stayers. It’s a group 1 calibre line up and a will be great exhibition for fans of ‘half-milers’.
How good is the card as a whole? Tiggerlong Tonk, Hard Style Rico, Playlist and Houdini Boy are going around in graded races. This truly is an exceptional card of racing.
Click here for your free Watchdog form guide for tonight’s meeting. If you’re looking for a tip, here’s Jason Adams’ best of the card, as heard on RSN – Racing & Sport.
Race 1 number 2: Kismet Storm – “I highlighted him last week, he did everything right but found one a bit too strong. He’s drawn well again and if he can come out and do the same thing he did last week he’ll be hard to beat.”
Race 6 number 4: Run Like Jess – “Houdini Boy was stunning last week but at $1.30 I’m happy to take him on given he gets so far back. I’m with Run Like Jess who was a winner at The Meadows on Saturday night. He’s probably going to begin well and hold control early so represents a better price.”
Race 12 number 5: Weblec Diamond – “Comes to Sandown for the first time in a while, I thought her win at Geelong at her last start was quite good.”
Quaddie – 125 / 48 / 6 / 12356
*Note – there’s a $100,000 projected TAB quaddie pool on tonight’s meeting
Here’s some other things to look out for tonight’s meeting.
Best in the land in 2020
The top four ranked sprinters and top ranked stayer is engaged in tonight’s meeting. Here’s how the Greyhound Clubs Australia rankings stand:
| Rank | Greyhound | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simon Told Helen | 319 |
| 2 | Tiggerlong Tonk | 150 |
| 3 | Black Opium | 145 |
| 4 | Hard Style Rico | 123 |
| 6 | True Detective | 116 |
TAB Melbourne Cup market watch
With so many top greyhounds engaged in the meeting, many are prominent in TAB Melbourne Cup markets.
| Race | Greyhound | Cup price |
|---|---|---|
| Race 3 | Simon Told Helen | $9 |
| Shima Shine | $11 | |
| Jax Bale | $34 | |
| Race 4 | Christo Bale | $17 |
| Black Opium | $17 | |
| Race 7 | Hard Style Rico | $26 |
| Playlist | $71 | |
| Race 9 | Tiggerlong Tonk | $17 |
Click here for the latest TAB Melbourne Cup market from tab.com.au
Up the money ladder
– With a win tonight, Simon Told Helen ($629,035) would move past Destini Fireball ($631,195) and into 19th on the all-time prize money list. Dyna Patty ($648,210) is next in line (18th all-time)
– With a win tonight, Black Opium ($581,312) would move past Melbourne Cup winners El Grand Senor ($581,335) and Black Magic Opal ($586,215) and into 25th on the all-time prize money list. Dyna Nalin ($589,995) is next in line (24th all-time)
– Black Opium would become the highest prize money earner trained by Jason Thompson. Aston Dee Bee ($809,185), trained by Seona Thompson, is 10th all-time
– With a win tonight, Tornado Tears ($895,015) would become the seventh greyhound to earn $900,000 (Fanta Bale, Fernando Bale, Good Odds Harada, Dyna Double One, Mystic Riot, Sweet It is)
Dailly countdown
Andrea Dailly comes into the meeting with 996 career wins at Sandown Park
She has seven runners engaged tonight:
Race 3 – Shima Shine
Race 3 – Jax Bale
Race 4 – Halberd Bale
Race 5 – Sunset Bourbski
Race 5 – Rockstar Beav
Race 7 – Malayah Bale
Race 9 – Providence Bale
Odds on look out!
Houdini Boy is $1.35 to win race 6 tonight. Here are the shortest (tote) winners at city level over 595m
| Date | Race Class | Runner | Trainer | Race Time | Winning Margin | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/07/2014 | S/E Group 2 | XYLIA ALLEN | JENNY HUNT | 34.115 | 1.25L | 1.1 |
| 7/03/2019 | Mixed 4/5 | POKE THE BEAR | SEONA THOMPSON | 34.038 | 4.50L | 1.2 |
| 29/11/2018 | Mixed 4/5 | MY REDEEMER | DAVID GEALL | 33.904 | 4.25L | 1.2 |
| 8/02/2018 | Free For All | DYNA DEAN | MARK DELBRIDGE | 34.316 | 1.25L | 1.2 |
| 30/11/2017 | Mixed 4/5 | QUICK JAGGER | Christopher Halse | 34.156 | 6.50L | 1.2 |
| 22/09/2016 | Mixed 4/5 | LITHGOW PANTHER | ROBERT BRITTON | 34.477 | 1.00L | 1.2 |
Trainer looking for their first Sandown win
Good luck to the following trainers looking for their first win at Sandown Park
David Kerr (Race 3 – Tin Shed Fred)
Ned McDonald (Race 6 – Bubbles)
Tyllah Cornell (Race 11 – Nowhere Nathe)
Julie-Anne Hopper (Race 12 – Speedy Jack)
Note: Track works
Please note that track were conducted over the weekend (31 July-2 August) and are expected to impact on times
