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Megalodon, who was purchased as a Christmas gift by Brandon Aldous for his mother Lynne, has a great chance of causing an upset and snaring the $100,000 first prizemoney in Saturday night's Richmond Riches Puppy Classic final (race eight, 535m).
The race is for greyhounds which were sold at the 2014 Richmond Puppy Auction, but after paying only $1200 for Megalodon at that sale her original owners decided to sell her late last year.
That was when Brandon Aldous purchased Megalodon as a Christmas gift for his greyhound training mum and after winning four of seven Wentworth Park races for Lynne she has now qualified for Saturday night's rich race in which she will jump from box six.
“She is not the fastest greyhound in the final but she could be the pacemaker and that is always a big help in major races,” Lynne said.
“Megalodon and Vidi Vici look the two front-runners in the final and while box six is not great for our greyhound I am pleased she has drawn inside Vidi Vici, who has box eight. And Megalodon won't veer left in the run to the first turn, she will go straight.”
Surprisingly John Antonelli, whose greyhound Joyanna was fastest semi-final winner with a near record 30.31 performance, hopes his chance can step away cleanly despite drawing box four.
“Joyanna often misses the jump but he began better after drawing box one last week,” Antonelli said.
“If he jumps alongside the favourite Thirty Talks, who has box two, he is likely to crowd that greyhound. Joyanna has box four and he will charge towards the rails when the lids lift.
“My bloke pulled up a treat after his semi and he trialled 20.64 over 366m at Appin on Tuesday morning which is flying.”
Although Thirty Talks, bought at the Richmond auction for $30,000, drew box six in his semi-final, his Brisbane trainer Tony Brett is happy with his box two draw.
“He handled box two comfortably when he won his heat on May 14 and in big races like Saturday's, being close to the inside fence is the best place to be,” Brett said.
“My only concern is that this will be the fourth successive week Thirty Talks has had to travel down from Queensland and all that travelling can take a lot out of a young dog. I'm just hoping Thirty Talks has one more big run in him.”
Safest wager on Saturday night's star-studded Richmond card should be Runway Bono, who was the fastest qualifier for the Tuiaki @ Stud Final (race seven, 618m).
Runway Bono made an outstanding middle distance debut to win his heat last week in 35.49, going fast out wide to take the lead on the back straight.
The other heat winner Becky Keeping hit the front at a similar stage of her race but took 35.62 to win.
And while Becky Keeping has a tricky box three draw in the final, the wide running Runway Bono seems well positioned in box six.
Jeff Collerson's Selections
Best Bet: Runway Bono (Race 7)
Best Value: Megalodon (Race 8)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 6, 2, 8
Race 6 - 8, 1, 3
Race 7 - 6, 3
Race 8 - 6, 2, 4
$20 for 37.03%
