Brad Hill Billy is likely to be sent out as odds-on favourite in Sunday night’s Cosmic Rumble Dubbo Gold Cup (516m) after he smashed the track record in his heat earlier in the week.
The Ray Smith-trained greyhound (pictured, wearing checks) could not have been more impressive in his heat last Monday, stopping the clock in 29.30 – 0.29 quicker than the previous mark set by Tricky Jade.
Brad Hill Billy’s chances of claiming Sunday’s cup were boosted even further when he drew favourably in box two. A winner of more than $220,000 prize money and a runner-up in the recent Group 1 Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg, Brad Hill Billy has won four times and placed six times in 10 previous starts from box two.
While it seems only bad luck can stop Brad Hill Billy, Charlie Lamb, trainer of One Hill, believes his greyhound is in with a winning chance.
One Hill won his heat in 29.49 run last week’s heats and will jump from box four on Sunday night.
“He’s really up against it here and I would have preferred him to have been on the inside, but on current form he’s in with a chance,” Lamb said.
Lamb, who grew up in the Dubbo area, said a win in Sunday’s feature race would have special significance for him.
"After attending primary school in Trangie I went to Dubbo South High School and I have always wanted to win a big race out west,” he said.
“Swan Bay has been my home now for fifteen years but I have great memories of my time out there. It’s a great achievement to win any feature race but this one would be nice.”
Other greyhounds competing in Sunday’s Dubbo Cup include All A Blaze (box three), who finished more than five lengths behind Brad Hill Billy in her heat.
Her trainer Paul Braddon has been enjoying a terrific recent spell, winning the recent Group 2 Maitland Gold Cup with Marbo’s Magic.
Meanwhile, Suzi Cargo (box one), Awesome Danny (box five), Part Of Me (box six) Second Line (box seven) and Tullabung Honey (box eight) complete the field.
In other Dubbo Sunday action, Nangar Lass (box six) looks the top pick in the $7000-to-the-winner Peg & Bill Miller Memorial Cup (516m, race six).
The latest exciting pup for Dennis Barnes, she was an impressive 29.82 winner in last week’s heats and has won two of her three starts so far.
Littermates Magic Zesta and Tiny Zesta have been in solid form recently for trainer Geoff Grimwood and look the top picks in races five and nine respectively.
Brad Hill Billy’s kennelmate Dandy Jack (box three) can continue his strong record at Dubbo with victory in race four over the 516m.
Dandy Jack has won three of his five previous visits to Dubbo and stepped back up in distance soundly last start with a placing over the 520m at Bathurst.
For Dubbo Sunday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
