The stage is set for a magnificent night of greyhound racing after eight heats of the Sportsbet Melbourne Cup were run and won at Sandown Park on Saturday.
The Dream Chasers Series will now culminate with the final of the World’s Greatest Greyhound Race, which this year carries prize money of $1million for the very first time.
Perennial Group-1 winner Jason Thompson has the favourite for the great race after Plaintiff drew the coveted box one for the final.
Plaintiff ran the slowest of the heat times, clocking 29.662, but is a noted specialist from the inside and will take a power of beating.
El Dorado, who clocked the fastest heat time, running 29.345, has drawn box seven for the final.
The spotlight of the greyhound racing world has been on Sandown Park for the reshaped festival of racing.
First run in 1956 and won by some of the all-time greats of the sport, total prize money for the final of the Melbourne Cup (515m) has increased and will see $650,000 go to the winner.
A great night of racing action will see the Group-1 Bold Trease Final also be staged for the stayers.
The Bold Trease is this year worth $165,000 with $105,000 going to the winner.
The curtain will fall on the festival of racing when The Meadows hosts the final night of action with the second instalment of The Phoenix (525m), the world’s richest slot race in greyhound racing, which will, for the first time, carry a $1.65 million total prize pool with a cool $1 million to be shared between the connections and the slot holder of the winning greyhound.
GROUP 1 MELBOURNE CUP FINAL (515M)
1. Plaintiff Jason Thompson 29.662
2. Titan Blazer Daniel Gibbons 29.571
3. Vice Grip Adam Smithson 29.625
4. Yachi Bale Mark Delbridge 29.383
5. Fernando Mick David Geall 29.402
6. Zippy Tesla Bradley Keel 29.453
7. El Dorado Daryl Holmes 29.345
8. Paddy Wants Pats Kelly Bravo 29.407
RESERVES
9. Zara’s Ivan Bradley Keel 29.536
10. Amron Boy Brooke Ennis 29.577
