Highly respected Victorian trainer Glenn Rounds will be ‘waging war’ in next week’s Million Dollar Chase final (520m) at Wentworth Park.

Based at Devon Meadows, Rounds has Waging War chasing a $1 million payday in the world’s richest greyhound race.

And Rounds will be hoping its second time lucky after finishing seventh with Curt Lee – now racing in WA – in last year’s race won by NSW pin-up Good Odds Harada.

Waging War ($7.30) showed gallantry taking out an MDC semi-final tonight in 29.87sec.

Under the caretaker trainership of legendary NSW trainer John Finn – due to COVID-19 border restrictions – Waging War notched his 12^th win from 47 starts. Fellow Victorians Fire Legend ($6.50) and Tiggerlong Tonk ($3.20F) finished fifth and seventh respectively.

It was a powerful sprinting display from Waging War, who is better known as a middle-distance exponent. He was runner-up in last year’s G1 Sale Cup (650m) and a finalist in the G1 Rookie Rebel (600m) at The Meadows.

Waging War will be joined in the final by Victorian counterpart Wallbanger who won his semi-final in 29.89sec.

Owned by a 20-member syndicate and affectionately known as “Harvey”, Wallbanger ($14.80) caused an upset, with fellow Victorian and last year’s MDC runner-up Shima Shine ($1.50F) finishing third.

Prepared for his MDC campaign by top NSW trainer Christine Proctor, on behalf of Victoria’s Angela Langton, Wallbanger snared his 15^th win from 50 starts. The G2 McKenna Memorial finalist (3^rd) even has a ‘No. 1 fan’ 15,000km away in Poland.

WA star Tommy Shelby ($1.90F), trained by Steve Withers, was the fastest semi-final winner in 29.58sec. The G1 Vic Peters Classic runner-up notched his seventh win from his past eight starts.

However, NSW trainer Peter Lagogiane could be the ‘two-million-dollar man’ after former Tasmanian Handsome Prince ($2.70F) took out a semi-final in 29.73sec. Lagogiane won the inaugural 2018 MDC with Mystic Riot.

Meanwhile, champion Victorian and Australian GOTY Simon Told Helen ($2.25F) fourth and reigning MDC hero Good Odds Harada ($3.40) seventh were upstaged by NSW speedster Awesome Catch.

Trained by Jodie Lord, Awesome Catch ($12.50) – a former Victorian and G2 Warragul Cup finalist – came from the clouds to take out a semi-final in 29.90sec.

NSW sprint sensation Flying Ricciardo ($1.90F) also snared a semi-final, defeating fast-finishing Victorian Faithy Bale ($7.00), trained by Andrea Dailly, in 29.71sec.

Trained by Kristy Sultana, G2 Black Top winner Flying Ricciardo registered his 14^th win from 16 starts.

Local star Xerri ($2.30F), trained by Darryl Thomas, also impressed with a 29.72sec semi-final win. It was his seventh win from 13 starts.

And SA idol Shadow Mist ($5.40) did the ‘croweaters’ proud landing a semi-final in the second fastest time of 29.64sec.

Prepared by Lauren Harris, Shadow Mist has now won eight of his past 10 starts.

Million Dollar Chase
Friday 16 October, Wentworth Park (520m)
1. Shadow Mist (SA)
2. Xerri (NSW)
3. Flying Ricciardo (NSW)
4. Waging War (Vic)
5. Wallbanger (Vic)
6. Awesome Catch (NSW)
7. Handsome Prince (NSW)
8. Tommy Shelby (WA)

Reserves
9. Faithy Bale (Vic)
10. Shetland (NSW)