Jess Hopkins has spent her life linking the worlds of gallops and greyhounds and now she’s preparing to take centre stage on one of the sport’s biggest nights.

Hopkins balances her role as Owner and Experience Manager at Grand Syndicates with training a boutique team of just five greyhounds from her Junction Village base.

Her breakout 12 months began with a career-defining Group 1 Topgun Stayers win with Canya All Class, followed by a fairytale chance in the Australian Cup earlier this year.

Now she heads into the 2025 Sportsbet Melbourne Cup with another star: Canya Mayhem, the second-fastest qualifier behind Hume Cup hero Accredited.

“I had an Australian Cup finalist earlier this year and now I have a Melbourne Cup contender – what an unbelievable past 12 months,” Hopkins said.

It’s a surge that even she didn’t see coming. Her kennel talisman Canya All Class was sidelined with a shoulder injury in September, leaving Hopkins to reset her expectations heading into the Dream Chasers Festival.

Canya Mayhem wins a heat of the Sportsbet Melbourne Cup from box one in a time of 29.14 seconds.

Then along came “Sammy”.

Jumping from box two in Saturday night’s Group 1 Sportsbet Melbourne Cup, Canya Mayhem has announced himself as a genuine force despite being only 18 starts into his career.

“I’m still trying to work the dog out but he’s a real race dog, this little boy,” Hopkins said.

Proud of his heat performance – where he “did everything right” – she knows the Cup’s defining moment will come down to a single split-second.

“No matter what draw you get, if you miss the start, you’re pretty much no hope.”

For Hopkins, a trainer with deep roots in thoroughbred racing and a fast-growing reputation in the greyhound code, Saturday night represents another giant step in a remarkable year.

The Group 1 Sportsbet Melbourne Cup is Race 10 at Sandown Park on Saturday – night three of the Sportsbet Dream Chasers Festival.