Kiss Me Ketut heads to Albion Park tonight in pursuit of back-to-back Group 1 SKY Racing Brisbane Cup (520m) titles.

The most famous graduate of Greyhound Racing Victoria’s (GRV) Ready 2 Race Auctions, Kiss Me Ketut has proved to be one of the most popular – and marketable – greyhounds in recent memory.

At last year’s Brisbane Cup final, Racing Queensland and Brisbane Greyhounds flew Kadek Mahardika – the actor that plays Ketut in the AAMI Insurance commercials – to the Sunshine State for the race.

When Kiss Me Ketut went past the post in first place, trainer David Burnett immediately turned to Kadek and gave him a massive hug – the fairytale was complete.

After recently returning from injury, the son of Bombastic Shiraz and Spiral Siyan has been in fair form, with a last run second to Hostile on Melbourne Cup night showing that he is getting back to near his best.

Kiss Me Ketut has drawn box eight in heat three (race five) at Albion Park tonight.

Other Victorians venturing up north include the Darren McDonald pair of Keybow and Awesome Project and Stephen Whyte’s pair of Superfonic and Clash of Kings.

Speaking with the Winners Greyhound Panel on RSN, Darren McDonald said that Keybow has settled in beautifully and travelled well.

“He (Keybow) came up last night and he’s been up here before. He jumped on and jumped off the plane, he’s in good condition. He pretty much adapts to any track he goes to –  he’s just a good dog,” McDonald said on Thursday.

The main local hope in the race is Group 2 Macro Meats Shootout winner Iva Vision for trainer Peter Young. Iva Vision returns to his home track in heat four (race six) from box two after a successful trip to Melbourne where he won twice at Sandown Park and ran second in a Melbourne Cup heat to Keybow.

Fields for the Brisbane Cup available here

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WATCH: Iva Vision wins the 2014 Macro Meats Shootout
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Pictured above: Kiss Me Ketut is aiming to win back-to-back Brisbane Cups
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