Black Magic Opal will be aiming for his fourth win at Group level when he lines up in tonight's Norlane Hotel Warrnambool Cup (450m).
With the horse racing community having descended on Warrnambool for the annual jumps carnival, the Victorian coastal town has been given an extra racing treat with one of the best greyhound sprinters in Australia taking part in the $43,750 Group 2 feature.
Coming off a disappointing seventh in the Bendigo Cup, Black Magic Opal (pictured) was back to his brilliant best in his Warrnambool Cup heat, winning in 24.85 - two lengths quicker than any other greyhound on last week’s card of racing.
And while the Jason Thompson-trained sprinter has drawn somewhat awkwardly in box five, punters believe he is still the one to beat and is currently at $1.90 with TAB.
If Black Magic Opal can win the Warrnambool Cup it will take his career earnings past $580,000 and be his fourth Group race win, having already taken out the Group 1 Melbourne Cup, the Group 2 Geelong Cup and the Group 2 Maitland Cup.
Thompson appears to have a stranglehold on tonight’s cup with his other finalists Ronan Izmir ($4.60) and Innocent Til ($3.80) looming as the main threats to Black Magic Opal’s winning chances.
Innocent Til won his cup heat in 25.00 and has drawn well in box two while Ronan Izmir will carry the red rug after finishing second in his heat.
While Innocent Til may lack the early speed that Black Magic Opal possesses, if the latter strikes any trouble around box rise Innocent Til will no doubt come right into winning contention and could be seen as somewhat of a value runner.
Other runners taking part in the Warrnambool Cup include Golden Easter Egg finalist Ollie Bale, who rebounded from a disappointing eighth place finish in the Sydney Group 1 to win his cup heat in 25.16.
Ollie Bale will jump from box three for – somewhat astoundingly – the fifth time in six starts and is currently $31 with TAB.
The full field for the Warrnambool Cup is:
1. Ronan Izmir
2. Innocent Til
3. Ollie Bale
4. Dr. Don
5. Black Magic Opal
6. Deadly Vane
7. Walk Hard
8. Godric Gryfindor
The Warrnambool Cup is just one of the major events on what is a great night of racing, with the Group 2 Macey’s Bistro Warrnambool Classic also being staged.
In what should be a competitive betting race, the Brooke Ennis-trained Little Regus is likely to start favourite in the Warrnambool Classic which is worth $75,000 to the winner.
