The world’s greatest greyhound race has been run and won, but feature racing continues around the country.
Here’s where the TAB Melbourne Cup finalists – as well as the other feature race winner from TAB Melbourne Cup Night – are headed next.
HARD STYLE RICO (1st)
Retired
Following his flawless performance in the Cup, owner/trainer Luckie Karabitsakos announced that Hard Style Rico has been retired to stud saying, “the biggest race and the biggest achievement is the Melbourne Cup, and once you conquer the Melbourne Cup, it’s like climbing Everest, you’ve done it, there’s nothing left to prove.”
The son of Bella Infrared is sure to be in hot demand at stud, and will be looking to follow in the footsteps of recent Cup winners including Whiskey Riot, My Redeemer and Aston Dee Bee as the country’s hottest new sires.
SIMON TOLD HELEN (2nd)
Group 1 Dapto Megastar
The country’s top ranked greyhound lost no admirers in running second in the world’s greatest greyhound race, showing his trademark hustle and running similar splits to his heat win.
In somewhat of a surprise, David Burnett will head to Dapto on Thursday night for a tilt at the group 1 Dapto Megastar. Despite having never been to the track, Burnett has been quoted as saying he believes the track should suit as he aims for to claim his fifth group 1 title. There’s only three heats of the series and with only six other rivals in his heat (race 7) will start long odds on to make the final on Thursday 10th of November where he is likely to meet one of the country’s hottest pups, Flying Ricciardo. A win in the Dapto Megastar would take Simon Told Helen’s career earnings to $967,000.
TOMMY SHELBY (3rd)
Group 1 Hobart Thousand
Tommy Shelby ran an impressive third in the final after finding trouble at the first turn. Now transferred back to original trainer Steve Withers, the popular West Australian will head to the Apple Isle for a tilt at the country’s oldest group 1 race, the Hobart Thousand. He’ll trial between races on Thursday night ahead of the heats on Thursday 10th December.
TIGGERLONG TONK (4th)
Group 1 Hobart Thousand
The fastest TAB Melbourne Cup heat qualifier came from near last after being shuffled wide at the first turn to finish fourth. He’ll join Tommy Shelby in the Hobart Thousand heats Thursday week, a series in which he ran fifth in 2019 after again qualifying fastest.
TOUGH TEARS (5th) and ZIPPING SULLIVAN (6th)
Sandown Park, Thursday
The pair finished side by side in the Cup with less than half a length separating them at the line. They’ll jump from boxes 3 and 5 respectively in a Free For All (race 8) at Sandown on Thursday night.
LUCY’S MILO (7th)
The Meadows, Saturday
The outsider of the Cup final, Lucy’s Milo was beaten for early pace and wasn’t a factor once finding trouble at the first turn. He’ll now head to The Meadows on Saturday night (race 8) where he looks well boxed in box 2.
SHIMA SHINE (8th)
TBD
Shima Shine didn’t show the early zip he had shown previously and finished a long last after appearing to almost fall coming off the back. Reports are that he pulled up a little sore after the run – could retirement beckon for the TAB Topgun winner?
And here’s what’s next for the other feature race winners from TAB Melbourne Cup night:
MANILA KNIGHT (winner, group 1 Bold Trease)
Group 1 Sale Cup
Trainer Mario Briganti reports that Manila Knight pulled up well after his Bold Trease victory, especially so after his well-documented issues following his run in the heats. He will now head to the group 1 Sale Cup over 650m on Boxing Day with the heats to be run on Sunday 20th December.
WEBLEC ACE (winner, group 3 Sir John Dillon Memorial)
Sandown Park, Thursday
Weblec Ace won the group 3 Sir John Dillon Memorial in race record time last Friday night and will return over the same trip on Thursday night (race 6).
MUSIC EVENT (winner, group 3 Cup Night Sprint)
Group 1 Silver Chief
Music Event was heavily supported early in TAB Melbourne Cup betting, and while the heat didn’t go his way, he showed in the Cup Night Sprint that he’s group class. He’ll have a couple of weeks off before tackling the group 1 Silver Chief (heats Saturday 26th December) at The Meadows. Simon Told Helen won the Cup night Sprint in 2019 before claiming the Silver Chief, beating Tiggerlong Tonk, Hard Style Rico and Shima Shine in the final.
SHAMROCK BOY (winner, Provincial Plate)
Sale Distance Championship, Sunday
The surprise Provincial Plate winner will step up to 650m for the first time in a heat of the Sale Distance Championship (race 8) this Sunday.
HADOUKEN (winner, SUPER VICGREYS)
The Meadows, Saturday
Hadouken’s splits in a hotly contested SUPER VICGREYS final stack up pretty well – his 5.03, 18.50 (13.47) only marginally behind Cup winner and track record holder Hard Style Rico’s 4.99, 18.41 (13.42). He’ll now head back to the Meadows on Saturday night (race 7).
SHE’S SO KIND (winner, Vic Bred Maiden Final)
Sandown Park, Thursday
She’s So Kind did everything right in the $15,000 to the winner maiden final last Thursday night, leading all of the way to win in 29.60. He returns for a restricted win (2-3 wins) event on Thursday night at Sandown (race 3)
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Click here for your free Watchdog form guide for Thursday night’s meeting
