Much of the interest surrounding Friday night’s Victorian Greyhound Awards at Sandown Park centres around who will be crowned the 2015/16 Victorian Greyhound of the Year.

The Victorian Greyhound of the Year is considered the highest accolade a greyhound can achieve in this state, and will be announced on Friday night upon the counting of votes submitted by the Victorian Greyhound of the Year Panel, which has been conducted via a secret ballot.

There are two finalists for the Victorian Sprinter of the Year (Dyna Double One and Fernando Bale) and two finalists for the Victorian Stayer of the Year (No Donuts and Space Star), from which the Victorian Greyhound of the Year will be announced.

These awards relate to racetrack performances over the 18 month period incorporating the entire 2015 calendar year and the first half of 2016.

The contenders:

DYNA DOUBLE ONE
Category: Sprinter
Breeding: Barcia Bale x Crystin Bale
2015/16 Record: 50 starts – 27 wins, nine seconds, six thirds
Owner: Brendan Wheeler
Trainer: Andrea Dailly (Anakie)
Breeder: Paul Wheeler
Group Wins: G1 Rookie Rebel, G1 Australian Cup, G1 Brisbane Cup, G1 Melbourne Cup, G3 Perth Cup Consolation.
Group Finalist: G1 Hobart Thousand (6th), G2 Shootout (2nd), G1 Topgun (3rd), G3 South Australian Derby (4th), G3 Puppy Classic (3rd), G1 Maturity Classic (2nd), G1 Brisbane Winter Cup (2nd), G1 Peter Mosman Classic (2nd), G2 Cannington Derby (2nd), G1 Golden Easter Egg (5th), G1 Silver Chief (3rd).
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FERNANDO BALE
Category: Sprinter
Breeding: Kelsos Fusileer x Chloe Allen
2015/16 Record: 40 starts – 33 wins, three seconds, two thirds
Owner: Paul Wheeler
Trainer: Andrea Dailly (Anakie)
Breeder: Paul Wheeler
Group Wins: G1 Sky Racing Topgun, G1 Adelaide Cup, G2 Traralgon Cup, G1 National Sprint Championship, G1 Hudson Pacific Maturity Classic, G2 Bendigo Cup, G1 Peter Mosman Classic, G3 Bill Collins Memorial, G1 Harrison – Dawson Final, G1 Golden Easter Egg, GNational Derby
Group Finalist: G2 Ballarat Cup (5th) and G1 TAB Melbourne Cup (2nd)
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NO DONUTS
Category: Stayer
Breeding: Fabregas x Chevy Princess
2015/16 Record: 47 starts – 24 wins, nine seconds, two thirds
Owner: Bradley Canty
Trainer: Anthony Azzopardi (Myrniong)
Breeder: Michael Manuel
Group Wins: G1 Zoom Top, G2 Summer Distance Plate, G1 Sale Cup.
Group Finalist: G1 Sandown Cup (8th), G1 Australian Stayers (6th), G3 Sir John Dillon Memorial (3rd), G1 Peter Mosman Classic (5th), G2 Queensland Derby (2nd), G3 New Sensation (7th), G2 Richmond Derby (2nd).
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SPACE STAR
Category: Stayer
Breeding: Bekim Bale x Tonto Tears
2015/16 Record: 14 starts – 11 wins, zero seconds, one third
Owner: Michael Ivers
Trainer: Robert Britton (Lara)
Breeder: Michael Ivers
Group Wins: G3 Gold Cup, G1 Association Cup, G1 Zoom Top, G1 Galaxy, G2 Summer Distance.
Group Finalist: G1 Sandown Cup (6th), G1 Superstayers (3rd).
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Other awards to be announced on the night include:
– GRV Hall of Fame
– Ken Carr Medal
– GRV Welfare Award
– Ned Bryant ‘Silver Fox’
– Metropolitan Trainer of the Year
– Provincial Trainer of the Year

Live coverage of the 2015/16 Victorian Greyhound Awards will be streamed from 5:00pm on Friday through the following channels…
Website: grv.org.au
Facebook: facebook.com/GRVictoria
Twitter: @GRV_News