The Stir Up – Warragul Cup Edition

GRV’s Peter Quilty, Gerard Guthrie and Trent Langskaill provide their thoughts on some of the star greyhounds racing in Victoria.   Keep an eye on these, they are worth saving in your WatchDog Blackbook!   Quilts  Gents, the second event in the Gippsland Festival of Racing takes place on Friday night and after numerous upsets in the heats, the Group 2 Warragul Cup Final is wide open. Gerard  Quilts, Landyn Bale (Box 1) is racing terrifically with four victories in his last six starts. The Silver Chief Final form, where he…

Viatek Warragul Cup: Armchair Guide

Mobile Legend could play ‘accidental hero’ in the $74,335 Group 2 Viatek Warragul Cup Final (460m) – the second leg of the Gippsland Festival of Racing – on Friday night. Make no mistake, Mobile Legend (trained by Daryl Brennan of Napoleons – 15km from Ballarat) – is a ‘legend of the loam’ in his own way! But he was an ‘unlikely hero’ – even ‘unsung hero’ – from last Friday night’s eight must-win heats, which resulted in some stunning upsets. KEY TIMES 7:05pm First race 8:02pm $11,500 Viatek Cup Night…

Delbridge ‘juggernaut’ Warrnambool bound

Balliang’s “Team Delbridge” (Mark and Lisa) will launch a strong challenge in heats of the Mepunga Oaks (450m) and Aston Derby (450m) at Warrnambool on Thursday night. The Delbridge juggernaut was momentarily ‘derailed’ at Wannon Park last Saturday when superstar Jarick Bale was tailed off in the Ray Drew Memorial – albeit they did salute with Daksha Bale and went 1-2 with Spring Ammo and Jasmin Bale. One night earlier, it was also a ‘mixed bag’ when Landyn Bale landed a Warragul Cup heat and Spring Bart took out a…

Matt’s ‘Hope’ springs eternal

If ever a trainer and greyhound deserve to celebrate a feature race success, it’s surely Michelle Mallia and in-form speedster Matt’s Hope in Friday night’s $74,335 Group 2 Viatek Warragul Cup Final (460m). After Matt’s Hope broke in impressively, Avalon-based Mallia generously gifted a 25 per cent share to Matt Field, a passionate greyhound racing fan from Corio, who has spina bifida. Field – and Mallia – have enjoyed a dream ride with the aptly-named Matt’s Hope, which has won 28 of his 59 starts, to date earning $98,638 prizemoney,…

Dogs to follow – Monkey’s Style, My Cool Jack and Zara Marnie

Form expert Dale Code has picked out a selection of greyhounds to follow from around Victoria. You may even want to add them to your Blackbook account. MONKEY’S STYLE (Box 1) Breeding: Mar ‘21 Hooked On Scotch x Mepunga BonnieTrainer: Chris Johannsen, Devon MeadowsRecord: 11 starts 3-1-2 Dale says: I really like the direction Monkey’s Style is heading in. He appears to be getting faster with every run and his ability to navigate his way through a field has improved with experience. With continual improvement, Monkey’s Style can win his fair share of…

Legend grows in Warragul Cup heats

One ‘legend’ starred, and another suffered a shock defeat in Friday night’s heats of the Group 2 Viatek Warragul Cup (460m). The undisputed headline act in the eight ‘must win’ heats was champion Wow She’s Fast, making her first appearance since claiming back-to-back victories in The Phoenix on December 17, where she became greyhound racing’s first $2 million earner. Wow She’s Fast was looking to make amends for her defeat as an odds-on favourite in last year’s Warragul Cup heats when she exited box 8 as the dominant $1.70 elect…

‘Untapped’ emotions in Ray Drew Memorial

Untapped has taken Dustin Drew on the ride of his greyhound racing life, highlighted by an unforgettable Group 1 breakthrough in the 2022 Sandown Cup, Australia’s most prestigious staying event. But there’s little doubt victory in Saturday night’s inaugural $9220 Ray Drew Memorial (650m) at Warrnambool, named in honour of Dustin’s father Ray, who passed away in October 2021, would be even more special. There’ll barely be a dry eye in the house if Untapped can claim her first victory since her all-the-way Sandown Cup triumph on May 19, albeit…

Peach set to ‘Sizzle’ again

After enjoying a “once in a lifetime” run of success in 2022, Gary Peach will be striving to start the New Year in style, by claiming back-to-back victories in the $15,425 Warrnambool Summer Sizzle Final (390m) on Saturday night. Cape Clear-based Peach, Victorian greyhound racing’s ‘strike rate king’, is eyeing the $10,000 winner’s purse with fastest qualifier Mr. Beets, impressive winner of six of his eight starts. Peach won last year’s Summer Sizzle with Silver Brute victorious at his seventh start, with the brilliant speedster going on to assemble an…