Today is the day. Months of planning and preparation comes to fruition this afternoon when the GRNSW + Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase series gets underway at Bathurst.
The Central West club will host the first four Regional Qualifying heats of the series, with the first two in each event advancing to the first Regional Qualifying Final at Bathurst next Monday. Win or finish second there, and you are off to Wentworth Park for the series’ semi-finals on October 12.
The Bathurst club are delighted with the fields they have attracted for their event, with the past two winners of the Bathurst Cup and the last two Soldiers’ Saddle winners, featuring in the heats.
The opening heat sees the George Borg-trained Miss Splendamiro drawn in the two. Undefeated in three starts over this distance at Bathurst, Miss Splendamiro arrives at Bathurst on the back of a slick 29.72 Wentworth Park win on August 9, and only track record holder Falcon’s Fury has gone faster around the Bathurst 520m.
She will be well supported but there is depth in the race, with Buck’s Future – winner of four of his past five, all at Wentworth Park - drawn the rails, a box he has never been beaten from, and the smart Uncle Donuts drawn the pink – where he has won three from four.
The second heat features Sky Wave (pictured), the recent NSW representative in the National Sprint Championship in Melbourne, who also won last year’s Soldiers’ Saddle.
Sky Wave has won three of five starts over this track and distance, but more significantly, during his career he has drawn the red 10 times and won six of those starts.
The speedy My Mate Fox, a winner here in 29.84s in June then a Wentworth Park winner the next start, looms at the obvious danger from the seven trap, with the lightly-raced Cyril Figgis from the Ray Smith kennel and the consistent Double Up Dee are give some hope.
Track record holder Falcon’s Fury lines up in heat three, and although first-up since April, he will no doubt be the testing material here.
Paul Braddon’s dog has had 10 starts at Bathurst over this trip and won seven times, with his stunning 29.24s coming in the Orange Cup final earlier this year.
The danger is the pink, Caitlyn Keeping. A real speedster, the bitch led off the eight draw on Friday night and held on to win the Group 2 Black Top at LADBROKES GARDENS. She’ll be hard to catch here too. Others in the mix are Let’s Win Meisha (2) and Emission Control (4).
And the final heat of the night is the most open affair. There are several chances with Modus Operandi (6), Nangar Girft (8), and Midnight Treat (1) all among the picks.
Away from the Million Dollar Chase heats, the best bet on the program appears in race three, the Race Sponsorships Available Stake of 307m.
Short course specialist Banjo Shark has drawn the three, a box he has never been beaten from, and looks set to add to his imposing 57% winning strike rate.
Tonight’s meeting will be at Grafton and the pick of the card comes up in race four, the Grafton Lions Club Stake over 480m, in the form of the eight, Tranquil Invader.
Placed four of his last five starts, four of five starts from this box, and with some sound form at this track and distance, Tranquil Invader looks well placed to break through here.
Other good chances on the card are Sunburnt Road the two in race two, the Ladbrokes Maiden over 407m, and in race nine, the Ladbrokes Back Yourself Stakes over 305m, Sulzanti’s Girl (2) is a smart pup and looks a strong chance.
