Superstar Zambora Brockie, Group 1 Sky Racing Brisbane Cup finalist Blazin’ Bomber and multiple Group race winner Black Bear Lee headline tonight's heats of the Group 1 Luxbet Hobart 1000 (461m).
Sandown Park 515m track record holder Unlawful Entry and hot newcomer Zinzan Brooke also feature in the eight heats of the $75,000-to-the-winner series.
Zambora Brockie, who will likely starts the series as favourite, jumps from box five in the first heat looking to add another major title to his brilliant career.
A winner of more than $500,000 prize money, the Anthony Azzopardi-trained Zambora Brockie scored his sixth Group race victory in the Group 2 Ballarat Cup on December 2.
He has never previously raced at Hobart but has won four of his seven previous starts wearing the yellow rug and looks best suited to this distance.
Blazin’ Bomber (box six, heat two) finished fourth in last Friday night’s Brisbane Cup decider behind winner Thirty Talks but has scored a sizzling 29.75 victory in the previous week’s heats.
A winner of 22 of his 46 starts, he looks arguably the biggest threat to Zambora Brockie should both reach the final.
Black Bear Lee (box one, heat eight) is a brilliant talent at his best and looks a decent chance for the series.
The Ruth Matic-trained greyhound, who is closing in on $200,000 prize money earnings and has three Group titles to his name, has been lightly raced in recent weeks in preparation for this series.
He has won four of his six previous starts from box one and looks head and shoulders above the opposition in his heat.
Unlawful Entry (box one, heat five) scored his 28.95 track record at Sandown Park in March this year but is still racing well, having scored three placings in his last four starts in elite Victorian company.
He has won five of his six starts from box one so is another who looks ideally drawn to reach next Thursday’s decider.
Fellow Victorian Zinzan Brooke (box three, heat seven) has won 11 of his 14 starts and looks the latest star for gun trainer Brooke Ennis.
Zinzan Brooke clocked a smart 25.09 while winning over the 450m at Ballarat two starts back and looks ideally suited to this distance.
Best roughie chance for the series looks like NSW star Maja Maja Mahi, who has box six in heat five.
The Charlie Lamb-trained greyhound has dazzling early pace, has been freshened up for the series and placed in strong company at Sandown Park on her last two starts.
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