What Else: This guy arrived on the scene with big wraps and has probably exceeded them so far with just one defeat in seven starts. He won the heat and final of the Maitland Future Stars Maiden at the back end of 2023 and then wasn’t seen again until he rattled off another pair of victories at Maitland in May.
His first look at Wentworth Park came in the heats of the time-honoured Vic Peters Classic in June where he produced a scintillating win in 29.41. He went on to claim the final by a length in a similar time of 29.44.
Trained by Sultana and Darryl Thomas, he’s a son of Barcia Bale x Mrs. Mouse who is also the mother of 26-time winner, Fernando Hunter.
The Query: Is a race like the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase beyond him at this stage of his career? Mystic Riot is the most inexperienced winner in the race’s history after claiming the first ever edition of the race in start number 18.
Claim To Fame: Group 3 Bob Payne Sprint winner (2024)
MDC Qualifying Target: Bulli
Ladbrokes Futures Market: $12
What Else: He’s a promoter’s dream considering he won the 2023 Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase Maiden final and a year later, finds himself as one of the fancied types in the MDC itself.
He’s battled some injury issues over the last 12-months and is currently on the sidelines after tearing a monkey muscle, but trainer Jason Magri is hopeful he’ll be fine to take his place in the Bulli qualifiers on September 17.
The son of Superior Panama x Zipping Mitzy ran fifth in the Group 2 Bulli Gold Cup final in February, second in the G1 Golden Easter Egg behind Mackenna in April, fourth in the State Of Origin Sprint in June before finishing down the track behind FLYING ZULU in the G1 Brisbane Cup decider in July. He did claim the G3 Bob Payne Sprint at headquarters in May and has a 520m PB of 29.42.
The Query: Does he have enough early pace to stay in touch with the best in the business? His fastest ever first section time at Wenty is 5.51 but his average in 12 starts is 5.61.
What Else: After an inauspicious start to his career at Albion Park over an unfavourable 395m midway through the year, the son of Sennachie x Kooringa Maizie blew clockers away with a remarkable 24.87 trial at Grafton on June 30.
He then went on to win the annual Grafton Maiden series in July with previous winners of that race including La Grand Quality, Zipping Maserati and Nangar Rocket.
Despite ‘only’ running times of 25.06 and 25.13 in that series, it was always a matter of time before he broke CASH View’s Grafton 450m track record in race conditions, and that moment came on August 11, with his 24.98 effort coming in just his sixth ever race start.
He’s since trialled at Maitland in 25.17 ahead of the first Ladbrokes MDC heats on August 26 and the wide, one turn circuit in the Hunter Valley should suit his racing traits.
The Query: Assuming he qualifies for the semifinals, how will he handle Wentworth Park? If he safely gets through the Maitland series, it gives trainer Stephen Keep plenty of time to bring him down and test him out at New South Wales’ number one track.
What Else: He’s arguably the best dog in the country at the moment and if he’s not, he’s certainly in the top handful.
Not only did he claim the G1 Brisbane Cup final in July, he’s also won nine of his 11 starts (at time of writing) and gone around in four other group finals so far in 2024.
He ran second by 0.16 lengths in the G1 Harrison Dawson decider to Stormy Day, third in the Victorian National Sprint Final to Smooth Plane, currently has a 60% win rate through 30 starts and is a 29.02 dog at Sandown at his best.
The son of Orson Allen x Cyclone Rebel is also a full brother to dual G2 winner and G1 placegetter, Alpha Zulu.
The Query: Will the Thompson kennel travel the dog week to week or find a base for him in NSW? Last year, the kennel sent Umberto and Postman Pat to Peter Lagogiane for the series. How will they navigate the task in 2024?
Claim To Fame: Group 2 Gosford Gold Cup Winner (2024)
MDC Qualifying Target: Ladbrokes Dapto Megastar/Black Top
Ladbrokes Futures Market: $21
What Else: He’s a brute of a Chaser who has the speed and tenacity to win the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase.
Frank and Tracy Hurst won this race with Good Odds Harada back in 2019, but the former believes ‘Cobber’ is a better dog.
The son of Fernando Bale x Good Odds Meghan emerged in the Zoom Top Maiden series at Goulburn in July last year (which has proven to be a great form reference in recent years) before going on to win the Gosford Gold Cup in January.
From there, he qualified for the G1 National Derby final (where he failed to finish), made the G2 Bulli Gold Cup final and then claimed the G3 New Sensation decider in super style.
He was runner-up in the State Of Origin sprint and finished third behind FLYING ZULU in the G1 Brisbane Cup during the WINTER and has been set for this race all year.
The Query: Can he recapture his early season Wentworth Park form? In his first nine starts at the track between November 2023 and April 2024 (excluding the Derby final where he fell), Good Odds Cobber broke 30 seconds on every occasion with a PB of 29.33. In his four runs since, he has run 30.03, 30.04, 29.62 and 30.23.
What Else: Is another red-hot hope for the Thompson kennel who would love to win their first Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase.
Explicit is already a G1, dual G2 and G3 champion after triumphs in The Temlee, Shepparton Cup, Ballarat Cup and the Great Chase in the last 12-months and if that wasn’t enough of a form guide, he recently ran the fastest Sandown 515m time of the year in 29.09.
Has a remarkable win rate of 74% through 27 starts and has been a bookies favourite with a starting price of $3 or less in all but four of his outings.
The son of Bernardo x Brueghelino is a full brother to G1 Sapphire Crown winner, Here Comes Milli.
The Query: If he qualifies through Temora as planned, will he have at least one look at Wentworth Park before the semifinals? Former winner McInerney had two starts at Wenty before the semifinals in 2022.
Claim To Fame: “Fastest Dog Azzopardi Has Ever Had”
MDC Qualifying Target: Bulli
Ladbrokes Futures Market: $17
What Else: He may not have the resume of other dogs on this list yet but the son of Bernardo x On The Runway will head to NSW with massive wraps from a trainer who has just about done it all.
Anthony Azzopardi has labelled the dog “freakish” and believes he is a “track record breaker” in waiting, if he can stay sound.
Has only had the seven starts over 500m or further across his career but won well at Sandown during the week in a time of 29.31 and has a best of 29.67 at The Meadows to show the distance is no issue.
Three-time Group finalist who has run in behind Unleash Collinda in the Traralgon Cup final, Tim Zoo in the Warragul Cup final and Explicit in the Great Chase final.
The Query: Can he stay injury free for a month of top line racing? Pass The Buck has only raced 10 times so far this year and spent five months off the track between February and July with injury.
MDC Qualifying Target: Ladbrokes Dapto Megastar/Black Top/Gosford
Ladbrokes Futures Market: $17
What Else: If anyone knows how to find a diamond in the rough come Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase time, it’s Peter Lagogiane.
He’s the only two-time winner of the richest race series in the world and he did it with two greyhounds no one else gave much hope to in Mystic Riot and Handsome Prince.
Coincidentally, Angel Shirley has a similar profile to the previous two winners for the kennel. She has had 17 career starts, while Mystic Riot had 15 and Handsome Prince had 17 starts before their MDC campaigns. All three dogs were fifth graders as the series commenced as well so maybe the planets are aligning once again?
Angel Shirley has run 29.55 at Wenty Park, was a finalist in The Ambrosoli earlier this year but fell, and then was a dominant winner in the recent Gosford Goldmine final, running 29.03 to beat home talented type, Power And Glory by 3.75 lengths. She also finished fourth in the Maitland Future Stars series behind Rinsed The Lot.
The Query: Is this type of race beyond a bitch of her class?
