Ebby Ripper and Starzsa Light, the best current stayers in NSW, will meet in a specially arranged match race over 717m at Richmond on Friday night.
The duo are being prepared for the Group 3 Wentworth Park Gold Cup heats over 720m on March 18 while they will then tackle the Group 1 Association Cup qualifiers over the same course on April 8.
Ebby Ripper has started 27 times for 10 wins, four seconds and three thirds while Starzsa Light's tally is 20 races for seven wins, six seconds and three thirds.
Starzsa Light prevailed with an all-the-way win over 720m at Wentworth Park last Saturday night, when the $2 favourite Ebby Ripper was being hailed the winner after moving into third place, six lengths off the pacemaker, at the halfway mark.
But Starzsa Light held on to win by six lengths in a personal best 42.23, just .06 outside Ebby Ripper's fastest Wentworth Park figures.
"I figured both my greyhound, Starzsa Light, and Michael Eberand's Ebby Ripper, needed a race before the Wentworth Park Gold Cup heats so the Richmond club and GRNSW agreed to allow the match during during Friday's Derby and Oaks programme,'' trainer Dean Swain said.
"There will be no betting on the event and GRNSW has designated it as an exhibition trial.''
Some of greyhound racing's most exciting greyhound contests have been match races, with Goldent versus Tara Princess and the Bold Trease versus Shady City duels over 732m at Harold Park among the most memorable.
