The Australian Cup, Fanta Bale Stayers and Rookie Rebel box draws have been conducted and now the stage is set for a thrilling climax to the 2024 Sportsbet Australian Cup Carnival at The Meadows on Saturday night.

Greyhound-of-the-moment Morton, trained by Jason Sharp, has looked the leading player for the Group 1 Australian Cup (525m) since his scintillating 29.53sec (Best) semi-final success.

And his name is still up in ‘neon lights’, despite drawing awkwardly in Box 5 for the $300,000 to-the-winner final. He drifted ever so slightly from a $2.60 pre-box draw quote to still hold favouritism at $2.70 on Sportsbet’s fixed odds betting.

Morton is a son of the 2021 Australian Cup winner – WA wunderkind Tommy Shelby.

However, Jason Thompson has enhanced claims for his ‘maiden’ Australian Cup trophy following Tim Zoo drawing the coveted ‘red’ alley (Box 1). Tim Zoo firmed significantly from $5.50 into $3.50 second elect.

Thompson’s other finalist, Alpha Zulu, slid from $3.80 to be on the third line of betting at $4.60 after being allocated Box 6.

Incredibly, since 2004, Thompson has had 25 Australian Cup finalists – including runners-up Monsters Inc (2004), El Galo (2008 & 2009), El Brooklyn (2013) and Black Frenzy (2016). He’s also finished third with Oxley Tiger (2005) and Aeroplane Bob (2017).

In 2019, Thompson’s wife Seona prepared Black Opium (2^nd) and Deliver (3^rd).

$1m The Phoenix hero Schillaci, trained by Jihad Talgi, tightened from $15 into $11 after drawing Box 2.

Meanwhile, NSW staying supremo Palawa King (Box 5) retained $2.20 favouritism for the $100,000 to-the-winner G1 Sportsbet Fanta Bale Stayers final (730m).

Zulu Blast moved out slightly, from $2.70 to $3.20, after drawing Box 6.

And ‘middle distance magician’ Hector Fawley lost favouritism for the $75,000 to-the-winner G1 Sportsbet Rookie Rebel (600m) after coming up with Box 5. He drifted from $3.50 to be on the third line of betting at $3.90.

The new favourite is Tasmanian Fast Minardi, who firmed from $5.50 into $3.40 after drawing Box 1.

Cain Bale also tightened from $4.20 into $3.80 second elect after drawing Box 2.

Pawnote: Box 1 has produced five Australian Cup winners during the past two decades – a period in which no finalist has won from box three.

 Eight favourites have won the ‘Cup of Dreams’ in the past 20 years. The shortest-priced and longest-priced winners during this period are Dyna Double One ($2.20) in 2016 and SA star Miss Spicy ($28.80) in 2006.

 The race record (29.53sec) is held by Hecton Bale (2018).