Marlee Star (8) had a few looks at the Grafton circuit during his recent tilt at The Thunderbolt, with the son of Beast Unleashed winning once and running fourth behind eventual Thunderbolt runner-up Hit The Switch in a semi-final. Both those starts were over 350m and although most of his racing has been over shorter trips, 450m is still within his range. The wide draw favours him (4: 2-1-0 from Box 8 starts) and with a decent run to the first bend, he could easily cross this field.
Not Without (4) (pictured) will be stronger to the line than most with his recent racing over 600m and a bulletproof record over the 520m at Richmond making him one of the dogs to beat. Hasn’t has the same sort of success since heading up North with one win in five starts at Albion Park and Grafton, but he is still a young dog adjusting to the rigours of open grade racing. Ran fourth to the talented Fire Paws in his only start at the track but is currently in the care of Mick Patterson who knows how to produce a feature race winner.
Not Without won his first six starts and appeared in the 2024 Richmond Derby final
Hit The Switch (2) hasn’t rested on his laurels since running second to litter brother Cash On Delivery in The Thunderbolt, with Shane Whitney electing to race his speed machine twice in Hobart over the last fortnight. The 20-time winner saluted over 340m last Thursday, with that result coming a week after he ran third to star chaser Raider’s Guide in the Hobart Cup. The son of Zambora Brockie doesn’t seem to mind travelling, is drawn to perfection in Box 2 (6: 3-1-1 record in the stripes) and will explode early.
Harmony Fire (5) is the best young dog in Neil Staines’ kennel and her appearance in last weekend’s Peter Mosman Opal final was no fluke. She ran seventh to Tulsi Banner but is a sub-30 dog at Wentworth Park, a 19.60 animal at Goulburn over the 350m (replay below), and has nine wins in 18 career starts. Box 5 makes her a little bit vulnerable but the runner to her outside, the classy Nangar Rocket, does tend to run a straight line out of the lids which should help her find room to move. She’s a litter sister to the very talented Tootsie Tears (11 wins in 14 starts), Fire-lighter">Fire Lighter (7 of 13) and Battle Tears (3 of 4), and a half to Trooper Tears, Trapper Tears and Like WildFire.
Colonial Custard (1) is a Maitland star with 10 of his 15 career wins coming around the Hunter Valley U-turn. That experience should hold him in good stead at Grafton considering he’s never raced at the track. 450m is probably as far as he wants to go considering he’s only had one start over 500 in his career, but he gets the gun Box 1 draw where he’s won three of five in the past, and the Lill kennel is in form, striking at 33% so far in 2024 with 31 winners from 94 starts.
Field Day (4) is one of the new kids on the block but already he’s shown enormous potential with four wins from five starts. Doesn’t turn two until Friday so is very much the baby of the field, but he has been thrown in the deep end by Chris Field after winning four on the bounce - all either BON efforts or within a length of the fastest time on the program. Importantly, he’s a Grafton local and is confident after recent results. It’s a nice step up in grade from maidens and fifth grade races to a Grafton Cup Heat against some battle-hardened chasers, but excited to see what he can do.
Fire-paws">Fire">Fire Paws (3) is Mark Moroney’s most exciting sprinting prospect in the kennel and deserves to be favourite in Heat 3. Has had 35 starts now for 16 wins and 10 placings and has done a lot of his best work around Grafton with 17 looks at the track for eight victories (a winning replay below). His last four runs over the Grafton 450m have been in 25.27 or quicker, he just needs to avoid quick beginners boxed either side to make his way into the final. Litter sister to She Is Fire who will probably go around in the Stayers Cup final next week.
Nangar Express (2) will be glad to see the back of Box 6 (four runs in a row from the green) and dropping down to an inside alley should suit. He’s got a good record at both the Grafton 450m (8: 4-1-3) and in the stripes (6: 3-1-1 from Box 2) and seems to know his way around the big circuit up there. The Barnes kennel make the trip North each year with a trailer load of good runners and this guy is one of four going around in the Cup Heats. Was first up from a four-month break last start and had no luck so he will take great improvement from the run, but does he have enough work in the legs to threaten this field of fit and firing chasers?
Albert’s Memory (8) is another Grafton specialist with 29 starts at track and trip for 10 wins and 12 placings. His PB of 25.30 puts him in every race and the wide draw will afford him time to balance up and potentially loop the field. He’s the only FFA graded runner in this preliminary and Reggie Gardoll knows how to win a feature in the Northern Rivers. Albert’s Memory was last sighted in the Chief Havoc Cup final, running fifth to Cindy keeping a month ago
Stop It (3) is one of the form greyhounds in NSW at the moment with four straight wins coming at Wenty Park, Grafton and Bulli. The two city triumphs were in above average times of 29.58 and 29.76, while the Grafton effort was over the 450m journey in 25.43. His last sevens wins have all been in BON time too. I haven’t seen Jason Magri send too many chasers North so it’s savvy placement for a dog who ran third in the Ultra Sense final earlier this year but maybe isn’t a FFA Group 1 level animal yet. Like him a lot.
Nad Al Sheba (8) is another talented chaser hailing from one of the state’s premier kennels. He won at the Grafton circuit back in May (25.31 and replay below) in what may have been a sneaky scouting mission by Pete Lagogiane and returns now after winning two on the bounce at headquarters in 29.68 and 29.77. He’s undefeated in the pink rug, he’s a hard fit, he’s just ticked over $100,000 in prizemoney and he’s earned a cheque in 33 of 40 starts. This race is right up his alley.
LONE ROOSTER (6) is having his first race start at the track after going around in Victoria in every one of his 15 career runs. Six-time winner and has done most of his racing on the country circuits of Geelong, Sale, Bendigo and Ballarat. Trained by Anthony Azzopardi and probably the next best in the race but will need to find something to produce something special to stay in touch with the two faves.
