Sixty-four elite sprinters will ‘chase’ a ‘dream’ towards greyhound racing folklore at Sandown Park on Saturday night.
They’ll contest eight ‘must win’ heats of the Group 1 Sportsbet Melbourne Cup (515m).
It’s Night 3 of the $4.1m Sportsbet Dream Chasers Festival as the ‘dream chase’ commences, ultimately, towards the sport’s ‘Holy Grail’ – the $1mil Melbourne Cup Final to be run on Saturday 2 December.
The ‘glorious quest’ for the Melbourne Cup aspirants is a $650,000 winner’s purse, but who will ‘reach the unreachable star’?
Our experts Peter Quilty and Gerard Guthrie provide a snapshot assessment of the eight run-offs, as well as a rating on the likelihood of punters finding the winner.
5: Extremely difficult
4: Difficult
3: A little tricky
2: Relatively easy
1: Show me the money
1 BUDDY MONELLI (Lyn Smith)
2 WEBLEC WOLF (Jeff Britton)
3 WYNBURN RUBY (Jackie Greenough)
4 EULER BALE (Debbie Coleman)
5 DUNDEE SMOKEY (Geoff Scott-Smith)
6 ZIPPY TESLA (Tom Dailly)
7 STORM STROLLER (Paul Bartolo)
8 ALPHA ZULU (Jason Thompson)
RESERVES
9 HELLO PA (David Burnett)
10 WINSTON TOWN (Paul Galea)
RACE 5 | 8.00pm | 515m
PETER QUILTY SAYS:
“Dual country cups winner and Topgun placegetter ALPHA ZULU (B8) is the sport’s young ‘alpha male’ and will take stopping. He’s won 15 from 22, including 2 from 3 here with a 29.15sec PB, and is unbeaten in 3 starts exiting the ‘pink’ alley.”
PETER’S RATING: 1
1 MAKE NO PROMISE (Paul Bartolo)
2 WOW SHE’S FAST (Jackie Greenough)
3 ANDRE BALE (Tom Dailly)
4 CRACKERJACK BULL (Jordan Cooper)
5 NAVARINO (Jason Thompson)
6 SAIGE TENNIELE (Kody Charles)
7 PEAKY JOE (Vicki Wisener)
8 BOOMBURST (Natalie Presutto)
RESERVES
9 WINSTON TOWN (Paul Galea)
10 OREGON CALDWELL (Tom Dailly)
RACE 6 | 8.20pm | 515m
GERARD GUTHRIE SAYS:
“After returning from a lengthy break in the G1 Topgun, the great WOW SHE’S FAST (B2) is drawn to add Melbourne Cup finalist to her glittering resume, boasting a perfect three from three record from this box. MAKE NO PROMISE (B1) could be the fly in the champion’s ointment.”
GERARD’S RATING: 2
1 FLYING ZULU (Jason Thompson)
2 AUSSIE ROCKS (Geoff Mitchell)
3 VAUCLUSE BALE (Tom Dailly)
4 JAY IS JAY (Selena Zammit)
5 LURE OF KILKENNY (Lyn Smith)
6 ASTON COSTELLO (Vicki Wisener)
7 SPOT FOX (Des Douch)
8 LAUNCH CODE (Brooke Ennis)
RESERVES
9 CAIN BALE (Mark Delbridge)
10 OREGON CALDWELL (Tom Dailly)
RACE 7 | 8.42pm | 515m
PETER QUILTY SAYS:
“FLYING ZULU (B1) – a litter brother of ALPHA ZULU – is the ‘new kid on the block’. He’s won 6 from 8 and boasts a flying 29.02sec PB. But beware of G1 Maturity winner LAUNCH CODE (B8) and the brilliant ‘banana bender’ JAY IS JAY (B4), who won the Million Dollar Chase and was 2nd in the Topgun.
PETER’S RATING: 3
1 DUNDEE REBEL (Geoff Scott-Smith)
2 BIG ENERGY (Jackie Greenough)
3 FRED ROSE (Jeff Chignell)
4 XYLOID BALE (Tom Dailly)
5 TINKER NORM (Craig Burns)
6 CAPTAIN LARRY (Brendan Pursell)
7 KAI BALE (Correy Grenfell)
8 CRACKERJACK ARET (Jordan Cooper)
RESERVES
9 DEPARTED (Jeff Britton)
10 OREGON DURANT (Tom Dailly)
RACE 8 | 9.01pm | 515m
GERARD GUTHRIE SAYS:
“After a record-breaking G3 Shootout victory last Saturday, BIG ENERGY (B2) picks himself. He’s gone to another level recently, ticks all the boxes and bad luck shapes as his biggest danger.”
GEREARD’S RATING: 1
1 HERE COMES MILLI (Des Douch)
2 ROCK ME ROCCO (Donna Dean)
3 ROCKET RIOT (Jason Thompson)
4 MULTI MATT (Jeff Britton)
5 YACHI BALE (Mark Delbridge)
6 STARLINE EXPRESS (David Geall)
7 PROFESSOR SNITCH (Steve White)
8 FABS VEGETABLE (Tom Dailly)
RESERVES
9 QUESTED BALE (Tom Dailly)
10 SETTLEMENT DAY (Peter Inguanti)
RACE 9 | 9.25pm | 515m
PETER QUILTY SAYS:
YACHI BALE (B5) is the reigning Melbourne Cup champ, and while he ‘yellow’ trap isn’t ideal his recent 29.69sec (BON) win at The Meadows mirrored his ‘Holy Grail’ victory. But respect NSW raider ROCKET RIOT (B3) – 11 from 18 – HERE COMES MILLI (B1) – 4 from 5 here – and Warragul St Leger winner PROFESSOR SNITCH (B7).
PETER’S RATING: 4
1 MEPUNGA SMOKEY (Jeff Britton)
2 HEFFERNAN BALE (Tom Dailly)
3 IDOLIZE (Peter Presutto)
4 AKINA JACK (Phil Rowley)
5 PETZEL BALE (Samantha Grenfell)
6 SHIMA CURRENT (Tom Dailly)
7 MORTON (Jessica Sharp)
8 POSTMAN PAT (Jason Thompson)
RESERVES
9 OREGON DURANT (Tom Dailly)
10 SETTLEMENT DAY (Peter Inguanti)
RACE 10 | 9.50pm | 515m
GERARD GUTHRIE SAYS:
POSTMAN PAT (B8) had his colours lowered last week, his first defeat in four appearances at Sandown, but the former Kiwi sensation can bounce back big-time. Jason Thompson said he needed the run and it’s wise not to question the three-time Melbourne Cup winner. Brilliant youngster MORTON (B7) could be anything but faces his acid test.
GERARD’S RATING: 2
1 QUEBEC BALE (Correy Grenfell)
2 LOOSE ZEUS (Harry Sarkis)
3 VICTA DAMIAN (Jackie Greenough)
4 LORNETT EXPRESS (Tom Dailly)
5 ROYAL GYPSY (Tom Dailly)
6 TIM ZOO (Jason Thompson)
7 SCHILLACI (Jihad Talgi)
8 CRACKERJACK BOOM (Jordan Cooper)
RESERVES
9 CAIN BALE (Mark Delbridge)
10 DEPARTED (Jeff Britton)
RACE 11 | 10.11pm | 515m
PETER QUILTY SAYS:
Appears a two-dog ‘war of attrition’ between VICTA DAMIAN (B3) – G1 National Derby (1st) and 15 from 26 – and SCHILLACI (B7) – dual G1 finalist and 10 from 17. Perhaps a slight nod to SCHILLACI which has a 29.25sec PB opposed to VICTA DAMIAN with a 29.33sec PB.
PETER’S RATING: 2
1 MAC’S DAMAGE (Harley Whelan)
2 MAGIC MUFFIN (Paul Bartolo)
3 TRANSPONDER (Jason Thompson)
4 AWESOME AVENGER (George Borg)
5 EXALTED (Natalie Presutto)
6 LANDYN BALE (Mark Delbridge)
7 TRENDING YALE (Tom Dailly)
8 HECTOR FAWLEY (Lisa Cockerell)
RESERVES
9 HELLO PA (David Burnett)
10 QUESTED BALE (Tom Dailly)
RACE 12 | 10.33pm | 515m
GERARD GUTHRIE SAYS:
TRANSPONDER (B3) treated his G1 Topgun rivals with contempt from the same draw and his racing habits will make life tough for those on his outside. MAGIC MUFFIN (B2) has the speed to take advantage of her inside alley, while HECTOR FAWLEY (B8) needs plenty of luck but will be storming home.
GERARD’S RATING: 3
Communications Manager at Greyhound Racing Victoria with 25 years’ experience as a reporter with National Greyhound Form newspaper and GRV. Former Watchdog form analyst. Adopter of celebrity greyhound, Fred Basset. Victorian Greyhound of the Year and Victorian greyhound racing Hall of Fame panel member.
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