It’s only March and already NSW has played host to six Group races and by next Friday two more Group winners will be crowned with the Richmond Derby and Oaks Heats beginning tonight.
This year’s 535m Group 2 Derby and Oaks are worth $40,000 each to the respective winners but the greyhounds will be racing for more than just prize money.
Both the Derby and Oaks are rich with prestige and pedigree.
The Derby was first run over 320 yards in 1957 before it changed to a grass circle over 537m in 1974. Between 1969 and 1973 the Derby was not held. Upon resumption it was Roomatic who claimed the crown in 1974.
Last year’s Derby final featured some of the hottest talents in the sport including Barking Bad and 2018 Cyril Rowe Gold Cup winner Ritza Lenny.
Ritza Lenny will once again compete in this year’s series and he looks to be the most likely qualifier from Heat 1 with two chasers from each Heat guaranteed to progress to the final.
It’s A Party will be hoping to celebrate a victory against a very tough field in Heat 2 that features the likes of Aston Duke, Canya Ayden and Crash Bandicoot who is trained by Anthony Azzopardi.
Azzopardi enjoyed success last year as the trainer of Derby winner Nangar Flame who finished his career with over $100,000 in prizemoney.
Heat 3 offers the chance of redemption for Falcon’s Fury, the Bathurst favourite producing an uncharacteristically poor display in the Bathurst Cup recently despite entering the final as a favourite with bookies and analysts alike.
Victorian chaser Zulu Knocks has emerged as the early favourite to claim victory in the final Derby Heat ahead of fellow Victorians Dyna Dean and Aston It Is.
The Oaks, which has its 52nd running this year features some of the best talents from around the nation.
Last year’s runner-up Up Hill Jill, headlines a list of incredible talent across the four Oaks Heats.
Defeated by a nose in photo finish by Mumma Josie, Group 1 winner Up Hill Jill will be looking to go one better in 2018. The first step will be to claim victory in Heat 3, but, she will have her work cut out for her with fellow Victorian Blue Sky Riot and Bathurst Cup runner-up Ferrero Miss both enjoying excellent recent form.
Miss Splendamiro looms as the likely winner of the first Heat of the Oaks following on from a brilliant Cup winning performance at Bathurst in her last start, with pressure likely to come from the Joseph Satti trained Utah Miss who is yet to pick up any major prize in her 59 start career.
Heat 2 of the Oaks features recent Group 2 winner Del Rey going head to head with the consistent Little Nangar. Dennis Barnes’ bitch has limited experience at the track though with her only start resulting in a third place finish.
The fourth and final Heat of Oaks features one of the best greyhounds still racing in the country in the form of Striker Light. Having accumulated over $500,000 in prize money, Brett Bravo will be hoping that she can add to her 24 career victories. She has the right box to do so – from the pink she’s had nine starts for four wins and two placings, bettered only by her statistics from box 2.
The final of both the Oaks and Derby will occur on Friday, March 2.
Click here for the full fields and analyst comments for the meeting.
