Queensland’s champion sprinter Jury was installed a $2.90 favourite to win the first UBET Origin Sprint at Albion Park on Thursday night, where Queensland and New South Wales’ best greyhounds will go head-to-head in a three-race series.
Excitement continues to build ahead of the inaugural series in Brisbane, with the box draw conducted by QRIC Stewards at the iconic Breakfast Creek Hotel, and live streamed across UBET, Racing Queensland and Puntersland social media channels.
Jury will jump from Box 3 in the Sprint (520m), the same box which helped him win the UBET Nationals Sprint Final in Brisbane last year. Trainer Tony Brett said Jury had come through last week’s Winter Cup victory in good order.
“It’s going to be a fantastic race with two smart NSW sprinters drawn on the inside. This series has been the talk of the track recently. It’s going to be a great night at Albion Park,” he said.
Up-and-coming Queensland stayer Double Gee drew Box 2 in the 710m UBET Origin Distance (710m), while star NSW stayer Ebby Ripper drew Box 8.
In the potentially series-deciding match race, Queensland’s It’s Dyllan drew Box 3, with NSW speedster Two Times Twice in Box 1. When asked whether It’s Dyllan would have the speed to win the match race, trainer Peter Wilson said: “Of course!”
“He ran very good (in the Winter Cup) but this is a different concept with two greyhounds. I think (Two Times Twice) is a very good dog and will be very hard to beat, but we will be there trying our best,” he said.
UBET’s Gerard Daffy said bookmakers had been working overtime to get markets out for all three races early on Monday, with plenty of options for all types of punters.
“To win the series we have NSW at $1.65 and QLD at $2.25. In the coming days we will have a correct score for the series. So, keeping the Origin concept alive you’ll be able to back QLD or NSW to win 3-0 or 2-1,” he said.
“We will also have a few specials across the week with QLD and NSW in the rugby league on Wednesday into the greyhounds on Thursday night.
“There has been huge interest in this. We’ve had the series betting open now for several weeks and I was staggered by the amount of interest in it. It’s going to get even hotter now.”
Origin Sprint 520m
1 Catch Me Curly (NSW)
2 Rohan Hill (NSW)
3 Jury (Qld)
4 Slick (Qld)
5 Sky Wave (NSW)
6 Bubble Guppy (Qld)
7 Drink Schooners (NSW)
8 Maurice Minor (Qld)
9 Codrington Kid (Qld)
10 Champion Model (NSW)
Origin Distance 710m
1 Champagne Sally (Qld)
2 Double Gee (Qld)
3 Shoes To Fill (Qld)
4 Poco Dorado (NSW)
5 Sherbini (NSW)
6 Big Butters (NSW)
7 Jalepeno (Qld)
8 Ebby Ripper (NSW)
9 Magic Hornet (Qld)
10 Veloce Nero (NSW)
Origin Match Race 520m
1 Two Times Twice (NSW)
3 Its Dyllan (Qld)
