Richmond Riches
Ray Smith’s Feral Franky has been installed a short-priced favourite for the $40,000 to the winner Ladbrokes Richmond Riches final after yet another impressive performance, this time posting 30.50s in winning his semi-final last Friday.
Despite being only fairly away, Feral Franky was able to round-up the leader Knighthood, and race away to record a 7¼ length win. Knighthood (31.00s) held on for second, with Micky Mccaw (31.04s) third and Fernando Porche (31.07s) fourth, to fill the four berths for the final.
Feral Franky’s brother and kennelmate, Freaky Franky, will also be in the final after finishing second in the other semi of the Riches.
My Bro’s Ethics - unlucky not to make the final of the Group 3 Ladbrokes Magic Maiden back in April when third in the semi-final to His Ticking – took out the semi leading throughout in 30.95s.
Second went to Freaky Franky in 31.05s, with Run Juju Run (31.11s) third and Let It Happen (31.21s) filling the other place in next week’s final.
The box draw for the final is: 1 My Bro's Ethics, 2 Micky Mccaw, 3 Feral Franky, 4 Let It Happen, 5 Knighthood, 6 Freaky Franky, 7 Run Juju Run, 8 Fernando Porche, 9 Miss Ibrox, 10 Inversion.
Watch Feral Franky win his semi-final of the Richmond Riches
Graeme Hull Memorial Cup
Londonderry trainer Frank Hurst ensured he will have a huge hand in next Friday’s $10,000 to the winner Graeme Hull Memorial Cup final following the heats of the feature event.
Kennelmates Good Odds Meghan and Good Odds Buddy – both by Collision out of Solar Pak like Feral Franky and Freaky Franky - were the stars of the night, both winning and both giving the five year old track record a gentle nudge in the process.
Ladies Bracelet placegetter Good Odds Meghan flew out of the boxes and was never in danger as she scorched away to a 30.10s victory, just half a length outside the track record of Chilly Babe set back in October 2013.
The following event saw Good Odds Buddy fairly away, but muster speed and charge to the lead rounding the first turn, and then race away for an impressive victory in 30.14s.
The pair – along with their brother, Bob Payne Sprint winner Good Odds Harada - have been in stunning form of late, and carried that form with them to the Riverina.
Jodie Lord will have three finalists next week with all three of her kennelmates finishing second in the three heats.
Cawborne Marty tried valiantly after a slow getaway in finishing runner-up to Good Odds Meghan, Winlock Huddy Chased hard behind Good Odds Buddy in finishing second, while Cawbourne Madox was second in the other heat behind tearaway leader, Gary Kimber’s Corleone King.
Corleone King – who turns five years of age next Wednesday - clocked 30.32s in winning and took his great record to 26 wins and 27 placings from 87 starts.
The other two finalists, were the fastest two thirds, Tennessee Tiger and Tom’s Desire.
The box draw for the final is: 1 Cawbourne Madox, 2 Cawborne Marty, 3 Tennessee Tiger, 4 Winlock Huddy, 5 Good Odds Meghan 6, Corleone King, 7 Good Odds Buddy, 8 Tom’s Desire.
Watch Good Odds Meghan’s heat win here
Casino RSM Beef Week Cup
On what will be a mammoth day for the sport, the Casino club will also host a feature this Friday, the Casino RSM Beef Week Cup.
Two heats of the event were held last Friday afternoon with the Warren Kempshall-trained Modified Truck setting the time standard, leading throughout from the eight box to clock 27.72s. Also advancing from the heat into next week’s final were TRay Bit, Cosmic Bonus (who was having his 100th race start), and Kooringa Molly.
In the second heat, it was an impressive win for Sally and Brendan Whelan’s Axle Whelan, also leading all the way, and clocking 27.88s, and just hanging on to beat Kingsbrae Biddy, Bokarm Bear and Good To Know, with that trio also advancing to the $5,000 to the winner final next Friday afternoon.
The box draw will be done on Tuesday.
Watch Axle Whelan’s heat win here
NSW greyhounds Chasing Success in Victoria
While there will be plenty of great racing action around NSW on Friday, there will also be some NSW greyhounds engaged in big races in the southern capital.
And leading the way will be Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg winner Zipping Bailey in the final of the Group 1 Sapphire Crown.
The Jason Mackay-trained sprinter was having her first start at the Sandown track when a 29.53s winner, and will no doubt be improved by the outing.
Favourite for the event is Rob Britton’s Neo Cleo who clocked 29.23s in winning her heat.
The box draw for the final is: 1 Mepunga Frankie, 2 Poise, 3 Militant Spirit, 4 Crimson Vixen, 5 Go Seek Heidi, 6 Neo Cleo, 7 Zipping Bailey, 8 Miss Innings.
In the Group 1 Sandown Cup, NSW-owned Tornado Tears has been installed as favourite after his 41.35s heat win last Thursday. Ella Enchanted - who is also owned in NSW - won in 41.54s with Queensland's Bago Bye Bye winning the other heat in 41.84s.
Cranebrook trainer John Finn has qualified his star stayer Poco Dorado in box eight, with her littermates Two Times Twice and Blue Moon Rising in boxes four and five.
The box draw for the final is: 1 Peppertide, 2 Bago Bye Bye, 3 Ella Enchanted, 4 Two Times Twice, 5 Blue Moon Rising, 6 Tornado Tears, 7 Rajasthan, 8 Poco Dorado.
Watch Zipping Bailey win her heat of the Sapphire Crown
Bathurst Adoption Day
The Bathurst Adoption Day is rapidly looming and already interest in very high.
Bathurst will host the day on June 1, between 10am and 2pm, and once again it will cost just $75 to give a dog a new home.
For more information on greyhound adoption head to the www.gapnsw.com.au.
State Of Origin
Take a Golden Easter Egg winner, the winner of the inaugural Million Dollar Chase, the dog who took out the premier staying race in NSW, the Group 1 Association Cup, and dogs with a plethora of group race wins, and that’s the squad NSW selectors have put together for this year’s Origin Greyhound Series.
There was plenty of discussion but not as much debate as that around the make-up of Brad Fittler’s team, before the NSW selectors delivered their squad late last week.
Zipping Bailey, who will Chase more Group 1 glory in the Sapphire Crown this Friday at Sandown, headlines the NSW squad, and she is joined in the sprinting ranks by the likes of MDC winner Mystic Riot and runner-up Jamella Jet, Easter Egg placegetters Federal Lilly and Black Forge, and Egg finalists Banjo Tifia and Irinka Lizzy, Bob Payne winner Goods Odds Harada and Bracelet placegetter Goods Odds Meaghan, multiple track record holder Pindari Express, New Sensation winner and Speed Star runner-up Feral Franky, Queensland Derby favourite King Cratos, Group 1 Paws Of Thunder winner Buck’s Future, Masters Meteor winner and Queensland Greyhound of the Year finalist Cosmic Bonus, Richmond Derby winner Catch Me Curly, National Derby favourite and Egg heat winner, the promising Fernando Blaster, another Easter Egg heat winner in Nangar Kash, and 2018 Egg fourth placegetter, in-form sprinter Dual Keroma.
The stayers are led by four littermates, Association Cup winner Veloce Nero, and fellow Group winners Poco Dorado, Blue Moon Rising and Two Times Twice, plus promising stayer Embye, Little Digger, runner-up to Veloce Nero in the Cup, and Association Cup finalist Kanzan.
The series will take place on June 6 at Albion Park, the night after State Of Origin rugby league clash, with the Queenslanders looking to defend the shield their won last year.
The format will remain unchanged in 2019 with the following events: $60,000 Origin Sprint 520m ($40,000 to the winner), a $60,000 Origin Distance 710m ($40,000 to the winner), and a $30,000 Origin Match Race 520m ($25,000 to the winner).
Terry Hill (NSW) and Chris Walker (QLD) have been confirmed as ambassadors for the series, just as they were in 2018, while the Mark Hughes Foundation will also continue as a charity partner.
The teams will now be finalised and announced on May 31, and the box draws will be conducted on June 3.
To see both the NSW and Queensland squads, head here
