Mobile Legend could play ‘accidental hero’ in the $74,335 Group 2 Viatek Warragul Cup Final (460m) – the second leg of the Gippsland Festival of Racing – on Friday night.

Make no mistake, Mobile Legend (trained by Daryl Brennan of Napoleons – 15km from Ballarat) – is a ‘legend of the loam’ in his own way!

But he was an ‘unlikely hero’ – even ‘unsung hero’ – from last Friday night’s eight must-win heats, which resulted in some stunning upsets.

KEY TIMES

7:05pm First race
8:02pm $11,500 Viatek Cup Night Match Race (Race 4)
Paua Of Buddy vs Quinlan Bale
8:22pm First leg of Quaddie (Race 5)
9:23pm $74,335 Group 2 Viatek Warragul Cup Final (Race 8)
9:42pm $10,165 Sportsbet Distance Cup (Race 9)
10:50pm Last race (Race 12)

The highest profile elimination of the series was undoubtedly ‘wonder woman’ Wow She’s Fast ($1.70F) – dual winner of The Phoenix and two-time Group 1 winner, and the world’s highest stakes earning greyhound with a mind-boggling $2,261,370 bank balance. She’s the only greyhound to crack the magical $2 million barrier!

However, Mobile Legend (14 from 32) was ‘at the right place at the right time’ doing a ‘great deed’. He set the time standard in the heats with an impressive 6.4-length win over Shadow Riot in 25.46 seconds.

Subsequently, he’s $3.40 equal favourite with Matt’s Hope for the $47,000 to-the-winner final – Race 8, 9.23pm.

Then follows: Landyn Bale ($3.50), Titan Blazer ($6), Dynamic Prince ($8), Panadero Warrior ($12), Money Owes ($21) and High Tribe Rico ($41).

HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
– Watch the racing LIVE and FREE on the Watchdog App
– Behind-the-scenes insights on GRV Facebook, @WatchDogRacing Twitter and @greyhoundracingvic Instagram
– Regular updates with Trent Langskaill on RSN Racing and Sport (927 AM)

Prepared by Michelle Mallia, Matt’s Hope (28 from 59) – part-owned by 36-year-old Matt Field, a passionate greyhound racing fan who has spina bifida – notched his sixth successive win, and ninth from his past 10 starts, defeating Aston Lira by 0.6 lengths in 25.62 seconds.

Other heat winners were Landyn Bale (25.56 seconds), Dynamic Prince (25.63 seconds), Money Owes (25.63 seconds), Panadero Warrior (25.70 seconds), High Tribe Rico (25.79 seconds) and Titan Blazer (25.84 seconds).

Group 1 Silver Chief placegetter Landyn Bale (12 from 22), trained by Mark Delbridge, toppled Quinlan Bale by 1.5 lengths; Dynamic Prince (22 from 54), prepared by Peter Presutto, accounted for I’m Talking by 2.8 lengths; Money Owes (16 from 32), trained by Greg Berry, conquered Wow She’s Fast by 2.6 lengths.

Group 2 Bendigo Cup finalist Panadero Warrior (11 from 27), prepared by Paul Abela, nabbed Fernando Mick by 0.06 lengths; High Tribe Rico (7 from 22), trained by Luckie Karibitsakos who won the 2020 Group 1 Melbourne Cup with older half-brother Hard Style Rico, held off Salad Dodger by 1.9 lengths; and four-time Group 1 finalist Titan Blazer (22 from 59), prepared by Daniel Gibbons, nailed Mr. Blue Sky by 0.6 lengths.

POINTS OF INTEREST

SAFE LANDYN?
If Landyn Bale (Box 1) is successful, he’ll provide Mark Delbridge with the first two legs of the 2022/2023 Gippsland Festival of Racing. Delbridge took out the Group 1 Sale Cup with Jarick Bale on Boxing Day.

WISHIN’ AND HOPIN’
Matt’s Hope (Box 8) is hoping for his seventh straight win. Amazingly, he’s won his last five appearances from the ‘pink’ trap – and eight from 12 overall.

MICHELLE MY BELLE
Michelle Mallia (Matt’s Hope) is the only female trainer in this year’s final. Female trainers quinellaed last year’s final – Kayla Cottrell (Robbie Rotten) and Samantha Grenfell (Kinson Bale).

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY…
‘Money machine’ Money Owes (Box 6) is chasing his eighth win from his past 10 starts.

CLASSY COLOSSUS
Titan Blazer (Box 2) is contesting successive Warragul Cup finals. He finished seventh last year.

CUP CAVALCADE
The first Warragul Cup run under non-proprietary racing was won by 1956 Melbourne Cup winner Rocketeer. In 1958, Marine Jet emulated the feat.
The Warragul Cup has been won by some of the sport’s finest sprinters including Half Your Luck (1973), Tempix (1980), Chariot Supreme (1984), Hua (1989), Carlisle Jack (2002), El Grand Senor (2011), Ando’s Mac (2017) and Aston Dee Bee (2018).

RECORD STILL SHINES
The Warragul 460m track record is 25.187 seconds, set by Shima Shine in a heat of the 2021 Warragul Cup on January 8.

CURSE OF THE FAVOURITES
Only three Warragul Cup favourites have saluted in the past 12 years – El Grand Senor ($2.40 in 2011); Aston Dee Bee ($2.30 in 2018) and Dyna Hunter ($3.40 in 2019).

STAGGERING ODDS
The longest-priced Warragul Cup winner in recent times is the Garry Selkrig-trained Stagger ($11.40) in 2012.

GALO’S HALO
And the race record (25.34 seconds) belongs to the Selkrig-trained To The Galo’s (2016). It was also a new track record at the time.

SON OF A GUN
Mobile Legend (Box 3) is sired by 2018 Warragul Cup winner, Aston Dee Bee.

Group 2 VIATEK WARRAGUL CUP FINAL
Warragul Race 8 (460m), Friday 9:23pm
Total prizemoney $74,335 (First prize $47,000)
1 LANDYN BALE (Mark Delbridge, Balliang VIC) 📷
2 TITAN BLAZER (Daniel Gibbons, Avalon VIC)
3 MOBILE LEGEND (Daryl Brennan, Napoleons VIC)
4 DYNAMIC PRINCE (Peter Presutto, Devon Meadows VIC)
5 PANADERO WARRIOR (Paul Abela, Parwan VIC)
6 MONEY OWES (Greg Berry, Toolleen VIC)
7 HIGH TRIBE RICO (Luckie Karabitsakos, Pearcedale VIC)
8 MATT’S HOPE (Michelle Mallia, Avalon VIC)
Reserves
9 QUINLAN BALE  SCRATCHED
10 ASTON LIRA  SCRATCHED

Click HERE  for Sportsbet’s latest market on the Warragul Cup Final

VIATEK WARRAGUL CUP HEAT WINNERS
Friday 6 January
(fastest to slowest)

25.46sec MOBILE LEGEND 📷
25.56sec LANDYN BALE
25.62sec MATT’S HOPE
25.63sec DYNAMIC PRINCE
25.63sec MONEY OWES
25.70sec PANADERO WARRIOR
25.79sec HIGH TRIBE RICO
25.84sec TITAN BLAZER

RECENT WARRAGUL CUP WINNERS

2013 NITRO CEE (Wayne Vassallo, Pearcedale VIC)
2014 WALK HARD (Nicole McRae, Clyde VIC)
2015 RONRAY SPIRIT (Terrence Reid, Yuroke VIC)
2016 TO THE GALO’S (Garry Selkrig, Devon Meadows VIC)
2017 ANDO’S MAC (Jason Mackay, Richmond Vale NSW)
2018 ASTON DEE BEE (Seona Thompson, Pearcedale VIC)
2019 DYNA HUNTER (Steven Collins, Pearcedale VIC)
2020 LA GRAND QUALITY (Darryl Thomas, Sawyers Gully NSW)
2021 AEROPLANE ERIC (Glenn Rounds, Devon Meadows VIC)
2022 ROBBIE ROTTEN (Kayla Cottrell, Pearcedale VIC) 📷

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LEGEND GROWS IN WARRAGUL CUP HEATS