The richest race series in the world wraps up on Friday night with the sixth running of the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase (MDC).
Four NSW greyhounds take on four interstate hopefuls with Victorian gun Postman Pat the current favourite ahead of QLD star Jay Is Jay. Andy Lord is attempting to join Peter Lagogiane as just the second trainer to win two MDC finals with One Hot Bandit. Stu Hazlett has the outsider of the field with Has Ability jumping from Box 5.
Here’s a closer look at the final field with thoughts from connections:
The oldest dog in the race by five months, Cumbria Kid is as honest as the day is long and tough as a pair of old boots. A veteran of 68 race starts, the son of Fernando Bale x Hill Top Belle has 17 wins and 23 placings next to his name but this is by far his biggest test.
The Steve Fitch-trained runner was a G1 Vic Peters Classic and G3 Bob Payne Sprint finalist in 2022 (seventh in both) but did run the fastest time of his career at Wentworth Park in March of this year.
He only has two wins since producing that time but does draw the prized Box 1 alley, and although the record in red certainly appeals, he will find it tough to hold the rail from a host of younger stars.
Fitch’s Final Thought:
“Most important thing is he rails at that first bend and then we hope the real speed and electric dogs in Jay Is Jay and Postman Pat are in a bit of a buffeting duel and he would need to slip underneath to win. I like him in the first line, I prefer him when he goes in first as he tends to jump better. It’d mean a lot to win this race, you bring these dogs into the world, he’s been with me since the time he was born. I love winning any race with our own dogs, we’ve come second in a couple of big ones, but to win the MDC, we’d be on top of the world. First or last we’ll still get an ice cream together and enjoy the ride home.”
Jay Is Jay is the great Queensland hope after a miserable couple of weeks for bananabenders on their respective footy fields.
Almost unbeatable at his home track of Albion Park, the son of Sennachie put the writing on the wall with a sharp 29.73 City Qualifier win before blowing them away in the semi-finals in a BON 29.45.
Postman Pat will jump from outside him in the final and was more than a length quicker to the first mark in the semis, but if Jay Is Jay can tack on to him and produce the same mid-race burn he unleashed last start, he will be tough to hold out.
A winner of more than half his 33 career starts, the Selena Zammit-trained sprinter has the perfect box to become the first ever QLD winner of the MDC.
The pre-series favourite has done all that’s required of him to get to this point and you can’t help but feel he is ready to explode on Friday night.
The semi-final win in 29.58 was setup with a flying 5.41 first split, but the back half of the race probably wasn’t as impressive to the eye as the clock suggests.
Tom Keeping looked to be pulling ground off him on the home bend before the 22-time winner surged clear in the home straight to advance to the biggest race of his short career.
Strange quirk in that he hasn’t won back-to-back races in a while, but Jason Thompson trains and Pete Lagogiane (caretaker) is sprinkling the million-dollar dust on this guy ahead of the big one.
Lagogiane’s Final Thought:
“I thought he was fantastic in the semi-final. He went with Quantifiable early who is one of the best sprinters in NSW and they had a bump before the first turn and he could have given up but he showed a bit of grit and did what he had to do. Tommy Keeping was on his tail and is a pretty quick animal but he drew away from him in the end. He arrived in a new kennel three weeks ago, it was his second run at the track, it’s a big ask but he’s trained on well and he’s done everything asked of him. Jay Is Jay is the hardest to beat for sure, he’s a supreme animal and has the form on the board. I know the mail service can be late but Postman Pat is ready to deliver.”
The only bitch in the 2023 MDC decider and the light weight of the group as well at only 26.3kg so will need a bit of luck early if she’s to get away cleanly from Box 4.
Daughter of a gun in Feral Franky and is already G1 placed this year after finishing behind Nangar Lucy in the age-restricted Peter Mosman Opal decider a few months ago. She was clever in her semi-final after getting shunted back in the field not long after the start and will need to showcase that race sense again if she's to win on Friday night.
Sneaky good statistics at the track (9: 3-3-2) and from the blue box (6: 2-3-1) but hasn’t seen many races of this quality in her 21 career starts. Owned by a FORBES school teacher and would be a hell of a yarn if she got up.
She doesn’t like getting knocked around and last week she got squashed and sent straight out the back. We realise she’s a long shot but if we can get on the podium, we’ll be laughing. You’d think the two favourites are hardest to beat and if one of them gets on the arm and runs 29.5, how do you beat them? They should give her a head start being the only bitch. Maree said she’ll buy some new trackpants if we win but it’s all about the owners, it’d be life changing for them.
The outsider of the field who has earned his spot after back-to-back wins at Wentworth Park in both the City Qualifiers and then the MDC semi-finals.
Remarkably consistent runner since debuting in the Robert Smith Memorial Maiden series at the beginning of the year with 27 starts producing 21 cheques for connections.
The squeeze box doesn’t do him any favours, but he lacks early pace so perhaps he can fall out of the lids and find a nice position in behind to Chase them up.
The son of multiple Group finalist Bikini Cloud will be strong to the line but will need a lot of luck.
Hazlett’s Final Thought:
“We’re 40-1 so there’s no pressure. If we were 2-1 favourite, there’d be a lot more pressure but we’re not expecting to win and we’re just very happy to be there. The way they’re boxed, everyone will be crazy about the 2 and 3 dogs, the best in Queensland and Victoria, so it’s going to be hard to beat them, it’s going to require a miracle really. Has Ability doesn’t have a lot of early pace but he’s strong and getting stronger, but there are a lot of dogs that are well boxed in the race. We’d probably spend the money on a new car, a new trailer, do some work around the house or go on a holiday to Vegas.”
Every time you look at Tinker Norm’s MDC semi-final replay you find another reason why the win was so special.
The 2023 National Sprint placegetter got bumped several times in the run to the first turn and was pushed out near the catching pen around the bend, but such is the character and the tenacity of the Victorian that he still had the audacity to run home best.
Forget the trial where he just cruised around because this guy is a legitimate threat. Box 6 stats are awesome and third up at the track, he looks well placed to run a big race.
Burns’ Final Thought:
“I actually quite like Box 6, it’s the most winning box he’s jumped from. The speed map will tell you there’s a lot of pace down low and the market indicates Jay Is Jay and Postman Pat are the likely dogs but One Hot Bandit can run and we all know how strong Yachi Bale is, it was a phenomenal run. I don’t mind him two or three wide around the first turn as he seems to like that race pattern. He needs to come out clean and on reasonable terms but he’s probably the smartest greyhound I’ve put a lead on, he got the field sense and speed and he’s incredible to watch at times.”
Spruik dog out of the same mother as G1 winner Good Odds Cash who mowed down a really good Chaser in Magistrate like he was half nailed to the rail last week.
19 starts for 11 wins in his career so far and importantly, a lot of successful runs around Wentworth Park (15:10-1-2) so he does have an advantage in that sense over some of his key rivals.
Box 7 should suit too as the big boy tends to do his best racing with a bit of room to move as well. Just needs to stay in touch early as not the quickest beginner and won’t want to leave himself with too much to do late.
Lord’s Final Thought:
“He’s only just turned two-year-old in June but he’s a quality dog, he’s got a bit of pace, he has run 5.40 at Wenty, he’s a really good Chaser and he’s just around the corner from running 29.4. He needs to at least come out on terms with them…the only dog I don’t think I could sit on and win is Jay Is Jay but I think I could sit on the rest. Loves the outside, rarely been beaten from the outside and he’s done most of his racing out there. It's a lottery so he needs to do everything right and it is winnable for him.”
Much like his Victorian mate Tinker Norm, Yachi Bale had no real right to win his semi-final after going via the kennels at the first bend.
It was a gutsy performance to Chase them down and a timely reminder of the quality the Melbourne Cup winner possesses despite not winning a stack of races since that great triumph.
Box 8 makes things pretty difficult in a race like this but if there’s any commotion at the pointy end of the race, you can be sure he will be powering home late.
Track and trip PB of 29.68 would put him in the money but needs luck in running.
Delbridge’s Final Thought:
“Would have been a bit better drawing closer to the fence. I suppose there’s a bit of speed on the inside so Box 8 might not be too bad as long as he doesn’t get hit around the first corner. If he can possie up 3 to 5 lengths behind the leader, hopefully he can power over the top of them. Jay Is Jay and Postman Pat I suppose are the hardest to beat but hopefully 29.50 or 29.60 can claim the race and it’d be absolutely terrific to win as no dog has won a Melbourne Cup and a MDC.”
