Five heats of the 2024 Ladbrokes Dapto Megastar have been unveiled with star NSW Chasers Good Odds Cobber, History’s Coming and Might Have Been headlining Thursday night’s preliminaries.
Emerging forces Omega Travis and Power And Glory, as well as the Anthony Azzopardi duo Bumpy Gold and GOLD SCOTCH have also been drawn in the $75,000 feature.
While gun Victorian and 2024 Brisbane Cup runner-up LAKEVIEW EMILY adds further intrigue to an already impressive lineup.
“We wanted going to have a crack at the Million Dollar Chase (MDC) and we thought we had to qualify somewhere, so we took her up and gave her a trial about two weeks ago,” LAKEVIEW EMILY’s trainer Harley Whelan said.
“She trialled 30.04 but she’s not really a trial dog so I just wanted to give her a look and she went well. It was the first time I’ve been to Dapto and it’s quite a tight turning track so I was glad I gave her a look.”
“We hope she goes well in the Megastar but if she can’t qualify for the MDC semi-finals there, we’ll trial her at Wenty Park and she’ll go to the city qualifiers in a few weeks.”
The winner of more than $300,000 in career prizemoney now eyeing NSW riches fresh off a successful winter carnival in Queensland.
“She went really well in Brisbane but just happened to be the bridesmaid and not the bride in the two big ones,” Whelan added.
“We ran second to Uncle Tommy in the Flying Amy and were beaten by FLYING ZULU in the Brisbane Cup but we can’t complain with how she went…Tony Brett did a great job with her.”
“He trialled 29.50 a few weeks ago, that was his first look at the track. He’s such a good railer so we thought he’d like the place on the way to Wentworth Park,” Hurst said.
Good Odds Cobber establishing himself as a dog to watch throughout the MDC series after already claiming the Group 3 New Sensation and Group 2 Gosford Gold Cup in 2024.
“He’s a very good dog. They’re already saying he’s the best sprinter in the state and one of the best in Australia. He ran third in the Group 1 Brisbane Cup, he’s won a few group races of his own and he’s run 29.3 or 29.4 at Wenty half a dozen times.”
“If you really press me, this dogs better than Good Odds Harada. He’s a full-on dog mate, he’s such a tremendous Chaser and they don’t lose that if you look after them. He’s been decked on the first turn at Wenty Park before but he still hammers into them every time he races. He’s a star.”
Gun mentor Minnie Finn will send around six runners in Thursday’s heats, with littermates Might Have Been, Gets Late Early, Poco Rico, Secrets Revealed and Both Bowers Ace joined by Great Flash.
While Group 1 National Futurity winner Hurricane Reign, Ultra Sense champion Au Contraire, Ladies Bracelet finalist Miss Zig Zag and reigning Goulburn Cup winner Quantifiable will also take part in the series.
The final of the Ladbrokes Dapto Megastar, worth $75,000 to the winner, will be held on Thursday, September 12.
The first three across the line in next week’s final will also gain direct qualification to the semi-finals of the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase on October 12.
