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  • Monday, 06 Nov, 2017,
  • by Greyhound Racing Victoria

Bewildering breathtaking in Silver Bullet

It’s full steam ahead to the fast-approaching Melbourne Cup for Bewildering after the prodigiously talented Victorian speedster was a brilliant winner of the Group 3 RSN927 Silver Bullet (525m) at The Meadows on Monday night.

Bewildering, trained by Seona Thompson, put a Group 1 standard field to the sword in the $25,000 to-the-winner Silver Bullet, the first of two feature events at the MGRC’s traditional Melbourne Cup Eve meeting.

Coming off a second to Thirty Talks in the Group 2 Geelong Gold Cup, Bewildering, a son of the Thompson kennel’s 2013 Melbourne Cup victor Black Magic Opal, started $3.50 favourite from box four in the Silver Bullet.

Underlining the depth of the race, Group 1 Topgun heroine Up Hill Jill started on the fourth line of betting at $6.30 from the five alley.

As she had in the Topgun, Up Hill Jill came out running to lead, but the writing was on the wall when Bewildering was sitting ominously in second and the favourite stormed to the front and powered clear, trouncing Up Hill Jill by 4.30 lengths in a flying 29.75sec.

Bewildering’s kennelmate Aqua Cheetah finished third.

Cousins Serge and Bill Buccilli, who own and bred Bewildering, are now optimistic he can emulate his sire when he ventures to Sandown for the world’s richest race.

“He’s a sensational dog and he’s very special to us. We look forward to things to come with him,” Serge said..
“Arriving here at The Meadows tonight I could see there is a big crowd, and I thought to myself I hope he likes the big occasion and he showed that he does.

“Up Hill Jill is a brilliant greyhound and with her early pace she gives greyhounds a chance to follow her into the race.

“He is the sort of dog that makes me think he’s always in with a chance.

“He’ll definitely be heading for the Melbourne Cup heats. We won the Melbourne Cup with his sire Black Magic Opal, who was a brilliant beginner, whereas Bewildering is super strong. It’s close, but Bewildering is the quickest dog we’ve ever had.”

Bewildering has now won 15 of his 33 starts, while the Silver Bullet was his third success at Group level, having snared back-to-back feature victories in the Group 2 Warrnambool Classic and Group 3 Sandown Speed Star in May, while he has finished runner-up in both the Geelong and Shepparton Cups.

It was the third year in succession the Thompson kennel has won the Silver Bullet, which has proven to be an excellent guide to the Melbourne Cup in the past, with Bewildering following in the footsteps of Aston Bolero (2016) and Dalgetty (2015).

VIDEO REPLAY

Up Hill Jill (5) leads the RSN Silver Bullet field in the early stages.
Up Hill Jill (5) leads the RSN Silver Bullet field in the early stages.
RSN's Ron Hawkswell (right) congratulates part-owner Serg Buccilli.
RSN’s Ron Hawkswell (right) congratulates part-owner Serg Buccilli.
Bewildering wearing the RSN Silver Bullet presentation rug.
Bewildering wearing the RSN Silver Bullet presentation rug.

*This article was compiled by Gerard Guthrie and Andrew Copley.

Greyhound Racing VictoriaGreyhound Racing Victoria

Greyhound Racing Victoria

GRV regulates the sport of greyhound racing in the state of Victoria under the Racing Act 1958 (Act), which includes setting standards and ensuring they are met by participants.

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