Written by Brennan Ryan. 

The stage is set for an interstate showdown in the Group 3 National Straight Track Championship Final, with the eight finalists decided following the completion of the state finals across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia.

Healesville will host the national decider on Friday, August 28, over 350 metres, featuring the top two finishers from each state, with Victoria also supplying the two reserves for the championship.

New South Wales will launch a strong two-pronged challenge through Barry Gibbons’ kennelmates Terrell Banner and Brailey Banner, who fought out the finish of their state final at Richmond Straight.

Terrell Banner prevailed in 17.51, defeating Brailey Banner by half a length, with Storms Will Roll finishing third.

At Healesville, Smart As You secured the Victorian title for trainer Michael Ryan, clocking 18.86 to defeat Blink And Miss by 1¼ lengths, with Catch Some Rays and Mumma Easy finishing third and fourth respectively.

Smart As You and Blink And Miss will therefore carry the home-state hopes in the final, while Catch Some Rays and Mumma Easy have secured the two reserve positions.

Queensland’s representatives were decided at Capalaba, where Big Al’s produced a determined performance for trainer Warren Nicholls to score in 19.45.

Big Al’s held out Secret Story by just a quarter of a length, with the Jedda Cutlack-trained runner-up doing enough to secure Queensland’s second berth ahead of third-placed Armarta.

South Australia’s state final at Murray Bridge produced an upset as the $18 chance Black Noir prevailed for trainer Marty Doyle, stopping the clock at 19.55.

Black Noir defeated Ice Age by three-quarters of a length, with the pair securing the two South Australian positions ahead of odds-on favourite Diogo Keeping in third.

With the eight finalists now locked away, attention turns to the all-important box draw this Friday, which will be conducted alongside the draws for the Group 1 National Sprint Championship and Group 1 National Distance Championship.

The National Straight Track Championship will take centre stage at Healesville on Friday, August 28, before the focus switches to Sandown Park the following night for the Group 1 National Sprint and National Distance Championship Finals.

National Straight Track Championship Final Field(Not in box draw order)
Terrell Banner (NSW)
Brailey Banner (NSW)
Smart As You (VIC)
Blink And Miss (VIC)
Big Al’s (QLD)
Secret Story (QLD)
Black Noir (SA)
Ice Age (SA)
Reserves
Catch Some Rays (VIC)
Mumma Easy (VIC)