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  • Friday, 24 Oct, 2014,
  • by Greyhound Racing Victoria

What the Topgun Trainers Say

Find out the inside word from all the trainers ahead of Saturday night’s $215,000 Group 1 Sky Racing Topgun at The Meadows. It might even help you unearth the winner of what is Australia’s richest invitational greyhound race.
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The contenders…

1.
CHICA DESTACADA

Trainer Doreen Drynan says: “She’ll need to begin well and be in the lead from the very start or she’ll have no chance of winning. Her early speed is her greatest asset, and she begins well 90 per cent of the time. She won the (Group 1) National Sprint Championship in Perth, which shows she can travel and beat the best.”

2. KEYBOW
Trainer Darren McDonald says: “He hasn’t raced for more than two months but he has been trialling well and will be ready to go for the Topgun. He ran one of the quickest times ever (29.58sec) at The Meadows earlier this year so he’ll have no qualms about racing there, and judging by his recent trials he has lost none of his brilliance.”

3. OAKVALE DESTINY
Trainer Jeff Britton says: “If she doesn’t lead she may be a chance to drop over to the rail from Box 3, and that is the shortest way home. Her mid-race speed is nothing short of outstanding, and she is also quite strong at the finish. It took a freakish dog (Allen Deed) to run her down in the Adelaide Cup last start.

4. FLASH REALITY (Scratched)

5. BUCKLE UP WES
Trainer Ted Medhurst says: “No Tasmanian greyhound has ever won the Topgun, but Buckle Up Wes won the Australian Cup at The Meadows in February so he is capable of winning a Group 1 on the Mainland. He hasn’t raced since August due to injury, but he is trialling well and I don’t believe we’ve seen the best of him yet.”

6. AWESOME PROJECT
Trainer Darren McDonald says: “He is probably better suited to Sandown Park than The Meadows, but he is a proven performer in big races. He’s in great form having won 13 of his past 20 starts, and he’s one of the strongest finishers in this race. If a pathway opens up for him I expect him to be powering home.”

7. ALLEN DEED
Trainer Andrea Dailly says: “An injury mid-year saw him miss five weeks of racing, and upon return we dropped him back from staying to sprinting. Since then he has won seven out of 12 starts, all over sprint distances, including a win in the (Group 1) Adelaide Cup (515m) last start. He is without a doubt the strongest greyhound in the Topgun.”

8. ZIPPING WILLOW
Trainer Jason Mackay says: “Box 8 represents a good challenge, but I’d prefer her drawn out wide than in Box 4 or 5. She has some immense talent. She has run some super quick times at Wentworth Park and she has raced at The Meadows a number of times, so the track will hold no fears for her.”

RESERVES

9. MEPUNGA HAYLEY
Trainer Jeff Britton says: “She has won a Group 1 at The Meadows before (Maturity) and she possesses enough early speed to lead this field. If she does lead, it will take a really good dog to run her down, and while she’s had a light preparation due to a few niggling injuries, the freshen-up will do her good.”

10. MY BRO FABIO
Trainer Brooke Ennis says: “He has won nine of his past 12 races and is one of the quickest dogs in Australia. He has a great racing brain and he is running brilliant times coming from behind like his win at Sandown last start in 29.23sec. His second sectionals and his run home times are nothing short of phenomenal.”
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TAB’S TOPGUN ODDS: CLICK HERE
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Pictured: Andrea Dailly has the favourite Allen Deed in the Topgun.
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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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