An innovative $10,000 State-of-Origin event (515m) between Victoria and South Australia will take place in Adelaide tonight, with two giant carrots awaiting the winner.
Race 3 at Angle Park has been split into four two-dog match races, each featuring a Victorian and a South Australian greyhound.
The greyhound to run the fastest time across the four matches will bypass the Adelaide Cup heats and gain automatic entry into the $75,000 to-the-winner Group 1 Adelaide Cup final (515m) at Angle Park on 11 October.
And in a further incentive, tonight’s winner will also gain entry into the $25,000 to-the-winner four-dog Shootout (515m) at Sandown Park on 14 November.
The Victorian contingent includes dual Group 1 winner Sennachie, recent Speed Star (515m) winner Hooked On Scotch, and kennelmate Spring Bridge, who won the 595m Speed Star at Sandown on the same night.
Hooked On Scotch set a soggy Sandown Park track alight on Speed Star night earlier this month, clocking a sensational time of 29.11sec.
“I know he’s only a baby and I wouldn’t know how quick he is,” trainer Jason Thompson told Sky Racing following the Speed Star.
“I said to the owners of this dog he’s quicker than Poke The Bear. I’ve never had one at the same stage quicker.”
The first State of Origin match kicks off at 7.52pm (Melbourne time).
