The nation’s five top ranked stayers will line up at Sandown Park tonight in the Victorian series of the Australian Greyhound Racing Association National Distance Championships.

The winner and runner up from each of the four heats will progress to next week’s $17,500 Victorian final, the winner of which will represent the state in the Group 1 Grand Final at Cannington, Western Australia, on Saturday 23 August.

The country’s top ranked stayer, Sweet It Is, will make her first start since claiming the RSN Sandown Cup in May when she lines from box 1 in race 5. As AGRA’s top ranked stayer, Sweet It Is (pictured) needs only to reach next week’s final to qualify for the Grand final as the AGRA wildcard.

Winner of Saturday’s Group 2 AWM Distance Championship at the Meadows, Mepunga Tiara (ranked fifth), has drawn the pink in the night’s opening heat with Born Ali (ranked third) drawn in box three. AWM Distance Championship place getters Dyna Willow (ranked second) and Zipping Rory have drawn boxes eight and four respectively in race 4.

Xylia Allen (ranked third), winner of the 2013 National Sprint Championship, will jump from box 1 in the night’s final heat. Luckless in her attempt to set a new Australian prize money record at the Meadows on Saturday night, she will get another chance at the record should she win through to the Grand Final.

**The AGRA Wildcard is awarded to the highest ranked AGRA greyhound (as of 31 July) that competes in its state final without winning.

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Story courtesy Sandown Greyhound Racing Club