Group 3 Nowra Summer Puppy Classic winner Fantastic Spiral and track specialist Aphorism head the contenders for Thursday night’s greyhound-data.com Group 1 Megastar Prelude (520m) at Dapto.
Fantastic Spiral will jump from box six in the race, with Jason Fletcher’s greyhound aiming to join kennelmate Fantastic Dotty in next Friday’s $67,500-to-the-winner decider.
A son of Spiral Nikita and Light Fantastic, Fantastic Spiral has built a terrific record of 15 wins and nine minor placings from 27 starts.
He has enjoyed a win and a placing in two races in Victoria since his last NSW start – a 30.24 win at Wentworth Park on July 8.
Fantastic Spiral has won four out of his five visits to Dapto and has an imposing four victories and two minor placings from seven starts with the green rug.
Aphorism comes here in decent form, with one win and three minor placings from his last six starts.
He has won three of his four previous outings here and ran 29.83 while finishing second behind Are Jai Que here last month.
Also in the field is Miss Sueko (box five).
Justin King’s classy greyhound has won three out of five previous visits to Dapto, clocked 29.69 here in May and ran a strong 29.71 at Wentworth Park last start.
Silver Label in box two, Rare Pearl (box three), Boambee Law in box four, box six's Satchmo's Hanky and Whittaker (pictured, box eight) are also in the field.
The top three in this race will all earn a place in the Megastar, joining the five invitees already announced.
The five invitees include Fantastic Dotty, who set two new track records on her way to winning the Group 3 Dean Industrial Dapto Maiden Classic.
In-form recent Group 1 National Sprint Championship runner-up Bessy Boo, this year’s Group 3 Richmond Oaks winner Rue De Kahn and two-time Group winners Keybow and Flash Reality also go straight through to the final.
In other action at Dapto, race five features what looks a terrific battle between Bertacious Bee (box four) and Shoulders in box eight.
Bertacious Bee made it 13 wins from 33 starts with a terrific 34.83 win at Dapto last Thursday.
Last year’s Group 2 Country Motor Dapto Puppy Classic winner has a terrific record on his home track, with three wins and six minor placings from 11 previous visits here.
Shoulders broke the 590m track record at Bulli recently and is in brilliant form, with four wins in his last five starts.
Tilly’s Boy, who lost out to Fantastic Dotty by a nose in last week’s Group 3 Maiden Classic after running superbly during the three-week series, goes in race 10 (box four).
For Dapto Thursday fields and form, click here.
