Gippsland sprinter Security Man is poised to claim his first group win after a brilliant victory in a heat of the Northern Districts Cup (450m) tonight at Shepparton.

A total of five heats were conducted, with the Colleen Mason-trained Security Man (10 from 20) the fastest qualifier in 25.19sec, about one length quicker than the next fastest heat winner, My Name’s Stacey, who notched her fifth straight win when clocking 25.24sec.

The Northern Districts Cup series is open exclusively to Victorian-bred greyhounds with no city wins and less than $25,000 in prize money, with maiden ineligible. Greyhounds must have had a minimum of two starts at Shepparton prior to the series.

Winner of Saturday night’s final will secure a $25,000 winner’s cheque.

HEAT WINNERS (Fastest to slowest):
25.19sec Security Man
25.24sec My Name’s Stacey
25.33sec Aston Flame
25.35sec Mania
25.38sec Zigzag Cabang

GROUP 3 NORTHERN DISTRICTS CUP (450m)
Shepparton Saturday 30 October – $25K first prize
1 RELOADED (Glenn Rounds, Devon Meadows)
2 TRUE COLLINDA (Jason Thompson, Pearcedale)
3 MANIA (Natalie Presutto, Devon Meadows)
4 ASTON FLAME (Ian Garland, Longlea)
5 MY NAME’S STACEY (Rodney Clark, Echuca Village)
6 SECURITY MAN (Colleen Mason, Neerim South)
7 OUR FABIO (Wayne Hooke, Huntly)
8 ZIGZAG CABANG (Greg Berry, Toolleen)
Reserves
9 GOTHAM BARONESS (Melanie Lithgow, Devon Meadows)
10 CALL ME HARVEY (Sean Lithgow, Devon Meadows)

HEAT 1: MY NAME’S STACEY (1) makes it five straight wins when leading all the way over RELOADED (2), who came from last to fill the quinella spot.

HEAT 2: As the market suggested ASTON FLAME (4) was in a league of her own, bursting clear in the early stages before defeating a persistent GOTHAM BARONESS (8) in 25.33sec.

HEAT 3: ZIGZAG CABANG (1) worked his way to the lead along the rail before hanging on in an exciting finish over OUR FABIO (2) in 25.38sec.

HEAT 4: SECURITY MAN (8) was the ultimate professional, burning off EUREKA ICON (1) before scoring over TRUE COLLINDA (2) in 25.19sec (Best).

HEAT 5: MANIA (1) pinged to the lead over CALL ME HARVEY (2) and that’s how they finished, with the former clocking a time of 25.35sec.