NSW fans will be hoping for better luck at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday than they had at Albion Park on Thursday night, after the Queensland team retained the TAB Origin Greyhound Shield for the first time since the series began in 2018.
Queensland won the inaugural event in 2018, then NSW won in 2019 and 2021 (no series was held due to COVID in 2020), before the Maroons won in 2022.
On Thursday night Queensland captured the series when brilliant sprinter Jay Is Jay led throughout to win the $50,000 Origin Match-Race over his NSW counterpart, Golden Easter Egg winner Simply Limelight.
Simply Limelight represented NSW in the Origin Match Race
NSW had opened the night with a victory when Jack Smith’s rising staying star Palawa King stormed home to win the $100,000 Distance event from local Blue Hornet in 41.73s, before Queensland levelled the series at 1-1 when Greg Stella’s Magistrate used box 1 to perfection and didn’t go around a dog before charging to the lead down the home straight and saluting in 29.96s.
Palawa King won the Distance Event
It was then down to the two sprint stars in the match-race, and Albion Park track record holder Jay Is Jay jumped well and soon opened up a big lead which Simply Limelight was just unable to eat into. Selena Zammit’s dog stopped the clock at 29.50s, outside his 29.35s record mark, but 3¼ lengths ahead of his rival.
Queensland now hold the lead in the Origins, having won three to NSW’s two.
The rivalry is REAL...
The 2023 edition was also the fourth time the series has been decided in the match-race.
In 2018 Queensland won both the Distance race with Double Gee and the Sprint with Jury before Mister Beluchi caused an upset to restore some credibility for NSW in the match-race.
In 2019 Feral Franky won the match-race over Infrared Star after Queensland had won the Sprint with Dam Slippery and NSW the Distance event with Poco Dorado.
In 2021 Jungle Deuce won the match-race for NSW over Extra Malt after Barsandi had won the Distance event for NSW, then the event had been levelled with Queenslander Orchestrate winning the Sprint.
And last year Queensland opened the series with a win in the Distance event from Days of Thunder, NSW levelled the account when Good Odds Cash won the Sprint, before the locals claimed the shield when Shipwreck defeated Zipping Kyrgios in the match-race.
Many of the NSW greyhounds will now look to have some success in the upcoming Brisbane Winter Carnival which will feature the $1 million Brisbane Cup.
