Dundee Osprey (Geoff Scott-Smith) became the only greyhound currently racing with three Group 1 wins to his name when he took out tonight’s Group 1 Sale Cup (650m) on the opening night of greyhound racing’s brand new $800,000 Gippsland Carnival.

Having won two Group 1s as a sprinter, including the prestigious Topgun at The Meadows, Dundee Osprey showed his class and versatility with an easy win by four lengths over Chrichton Bale (Darren Fisher) and Aston Harvey (Eddie Lieshout).

“He has really exceeded my expectations,” Scott-Smith said after the win. “It’s always nerve-wracking being in big races like this, but it’s also very rewarding.”

The Pakenham south trainer will now decide whether to continue racing Dundee Osprey over longer distances or whether to drop him back to the sprint.

“I’m in no real hurry to make a decision, but I’ll see how he pulls up after tonight.”

“Sometimes he can pull up a bit flat because he tries so hard, so we’ll just wait and see.”

Dundee Osprey is now a clear ladder leader with regard to who will be crowned the Gippsland Carnival champion stayer, which incorporates supporting distance races on the nights of the Warragul Cup (January 28), Cranbourne Cup (February 11) and the Traralgon Cup (March 25).

“The Gippsland Carnival is fantastic. It’s very innovative and it feels like it is getting the local community involved in greyhound racing,” Scott-Smith said.

Earlier tonight Aston Bolero (Jason Thompson) won the Gippsland Sprint Launch, which was the first leg of the Gippsland Carnival sprint series.

“He’s a tough dog and he loves this track,” Thompson said after the race.

“Going into the race I thought it was so even, and I thought it would be a matter of which dog got the start right. Luckily for me it was Aston Bolero.”

“I’ll continue to enter him for the next three sprint legs of the Gippsland Carnival.”

The staying and sprint streams of the carnival boast $35,000 in bonus prize money for the best performed greyhounds.

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WATCH: Dundee Osprey wins the Sale Cup.

Dundee Osprey leads the field a merry dance in the Sale Cup, and above, with trainer Geoff Scott-Smith.

Aston Bolero wins the Gippsland Sprint Launch. Images by Clint Anderson.

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WATCH: Aston Bolero defeats Aussie Infrared and Jesaulenko in the Gippsland Sprint.
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SALE RESULTS: CLICK HERE