Written by The Greyhound Recorders, Gerard Guthrie. 

Champion trainer Jason Thompson is giving veteran Australian Cup Carnival specialist Tim Zoo a puncher’s chance of celebrating back-to-back victories in the Group 1 Temlee (525m) at The Meadows on Saturday night.

Thompson has celebrated a remarkable six Temlee successes since the invitational event was introduced in 2003.

The prolific Pearcedale mentor is striving to complete a Temlee hat-trick, winning in 2024 with Explicit and last year with Tim Zoo, where Thompson trained the trifecta.

He also completed a Temlee three-peat in 2008/09/10.

Like his trainer, Tim Zoo, which turned four years of age last October, thrives during the Australian Cup Carnival.

“This is his third Australian Cup Carnival,” Thompson said.

“He won the Cup two years ago, then last year he won the Temlee and was a gallant second in the Cup.

Tim Zoo wins the 2025 Temlee in unspeakable fashion from box 7.

“He’s still going well. He trialled 29.66 at The Meadows on Monday.

“He’s four-and-a-quarter now, so it’s an achievement just to be picked in the Temlee again.

“We’re extremely proud that he’s still in the mix with the best dogs going around.”

Despite his advancing years, Tim Zoo (box 3), winner of 30 of his 76 starts, is respected in Temlee betting at $8.50.

“I think he’s drawn where he certainly has a chance and if he could run top three we would be over the moon,” Thompson said.

“If he was able to win, it would take him past a million dollars in prizemoney, which would be another fantastic achievement for the dog.”

Should Tim Zoo deliver another Meadows G1 knockout in either the Temlee or Australian Cup, Thompson says there are no plans to bow out in a blaze of glory.

“He loves racing and he’s very sound,” he said.

“He enjoys what he’s doing and he’s shown us no signs whatsoever that he’s had enough.

“If you saw him at home, he carries on like a two-year-old.”

Thompson is disappointed boom youngster Dramatical, brilliant winner of the G2 Warragul Cup last Friday night, isn’t joining his evergreen kennelmate in Saturday night’s showpiece sprint.

“I thought Dramatical would get in the (Temlee) field because of the X-factor he’d bring to the race,” Thompson said.

“It is what it is and he’s drawn well in an Australian Cup heat, so hopefully he can show what he’s capable of.

“His form at The Meadows earlier in his career is irrelevant. It’s like comparing what a footballer was doing at 16, compared to when he’s 20. I’m worried about the present, not the past.

“I trialled him box-to-box at The Meadows on Monday too and he went really well, running 5.15, 17.68.”

Thompson will have three other runners engaged in Saturday’s bumper Meadows meeting, the trio all heading to Victoria after NSW campaigns.

Ayden’s Warrior (box 4), winner of the G2 Summer Distance Plate at Wentworth Park last month, will contest the G1 Zoom Top (730m).

Distinction (heat 2, box 8), a litter sister to Dramatical, and Consigliere (heat 3, box 6) will line up in Australian Cup heats.

“I don’t mind Distinction out wide. She just didn’t handle those boxes at Wentworth Park,” Thompson said.