Country Challenge Heading For A Super Final

The cream has certainly risen to the top in the first three heats of the GRNSW Country Challenge with Bones McCoy, Kooringa Lucy and Zipping Kyrgios set to go into the $30,000 to the winner final boasting remarkable strike rates.

Bones McCoy, who qualified for Wentworth Park's June 26 final with a courageous come from behind win at LADBROKES GARDENS, has now had 25 starts for 15 wins and four placings.

Casino heat winner Kooringa Lucy's tally stands at 22 wins and 15 placings from 50 races while Zipping Kyrgios, who is off to Albion Park for Thursday night's State Of Origin, took his record to 13 wins and 10 placings from 28 appearances with his Dubbo heat win on Saturday night.

When Zipping Kyrgios won at Dubbo he equalled the 516m track record of 29.27 set by Midnight Starlet in September, 2018.

"His Dubbo win was consolation for when Zipping Kyrgios finished third to Jungle Deuce in the Brother Fox Cup there,'' Minnie Finn, whose husband John trains the dog, said.

"In the Brother Fox Zipping Kyrgios drew box eight and got held up on the first turn so his run was terrific.''

Gunnedah hosted the fourth Country Challenge heat last night with Casual Glance, the long odds-on favourite, making a one act affair of the 527m event and leading throughout from box six to win by a big space in a smart 30.30sec.

The Michelle Lill-trained greyhound remains undefeated after four starts at Gunnedah, with his time last night believed to be the third fastest posted at the track, although well outside the 29.62 record posted by the great Feral Franky in September, 2019.

Remaining heats will be held at Nowra tonight and Bathurst this afternoon, at Taree on Wednesday and on Friday at Wagga.

On The Rocks is likely favourite for the Nowra heat but trainer CHRIS O'Brien gives his greyhound Notified a great chance.

"On The Rocks will obviously be hard to beat but Notified is very well drawn in box two and she should appreciate being back on her home track,'' O'Brien said.

"Notified has not had any luck in her races lately but pulled up well after finishing fifth in Thursday night's Dapto Silver Collar and should run well from her inside alley at Nowra.''

Notified has won four of her seven starts at Nowra and from boxes one and two boasts an impressive strike rate of three wins from four starts.

Wow has trialled well at Albion Park in preparation for Thursday night's $60,000 State Of Origin Challenge.

Trainer Ruth Matic said: "He clocked 29.84 for the 520m which was very good, especially as he dipped slightly as he left the starting boxes.

"He handled the track well and he should be improved by the trial because when Jungle Deuce first trialled at Albion Park he clocked 29.83.

"Jungle Deuce then came out and won the Flying Amy Classic last week in 29.54 so I expect Wow to derive plenty of benefit from his trial.''