Victoria’s leading trainer Andrea Dailly has an excellent chance of clean-sweeping Thursday night’s Group 1 double-header at Sandown Park, boasting the TAB favourites for both the Harrison-Dawson and Sapphire Crown finals.
Superstar Shima Shine (Box 2) is the $2.40 elect in the male-only Harrison-Dawson (515m), Race 8 at 8.34pm, after returning to his brilliant best with a breathtaking 29.00sec heat victory, and narrowly missing out on becoming only the second greyhound to break the 29-second barrier twice.
Tiggerlong Tonk (Box 8), a recent winner of the G1 Perth Cup, shapes as Shima Shine’s main threat after continuing his love affair with Sandown with a 29.10sec heat victory – his 11th win over the 515m trip. The ‘ultimate professional’ is $3.70 on TAB’s fixed odds market.
After running third to Simon Told Helen in the 2020 Harrison-Dawson, Tiggerlong Tonk is striving to give young Anakie trainer Correy Grenfell, 27, his second Perth Cup/Harrison-Dawson double in three years, with Orson Allen winning both races in 2019.
While the Anakie-based ‘Team Dailly’ is relying on a proven G1 performer in the Harrison-Dawson, promising youngster Qwara Bale (Box 6) will be striving to continue the exciting start to her career (12 wins from 21 starts) in the all-female Sapphire Crown (515m), Race 6 at 7.49pm.
After brilliantly winning the G2 Warrnambool Cup, where kennelmate Shima Shine ran third, Qwara Bale was the fastest Sapphire Crown qualifier, running 29.28sec to improve her undefeated Sandown record to three from three.
Despite her awkward draw, Qwara Bale heads TAB’s Sapphire Crown betting at $2.50, ahead of kennelmate Shima Classic (Box 3), a younger half-sister to Shima Shine, and Queenslander Crazy Cool (Box 1), both at $4.60.
Thursday night’s bumper program will also feature four heats of the Group 1 RSN Sandown Cup (715m), with WA staying supremo Zack Monelli (Box 1) to contest the second run-off at 7.10pm. He’s TAB’s $2.50 ‘All In’ favourite for the $175,000 to-the-winner final on May 27.
Pawnote: Champion Pearcedale trainer Jason Thompson and young Lara trainer Tim Britton, 31, are also chasing a G1 double at Sandown Park on Thursday night.
Thompson, who is vying for a third Sapphire Crown, has last year’s runner-up Aston Silk (Box 8) in the event – plus powerhouse Equalizer (Box 4) and show stealer Catch The Thief (Box 5) in the Harrison-Dawson.
Meanwhile, Britton has Carry On Star (Box 4) in the Sapphire Crown and her litter brother, Carry On Angel (Box 6) in the Harrison-Dawson.
Here’s a rundown of the contenders:
Group 1 Harrison-Dawson (515m)
1 FIRE LEGEND
Trainer: Mark Moroney (Doyalson North, NSW)
Comment: Won 26 from 62. Unbeaten in five starts over track and distance and won five of nine career starts from Box 1. (PB – 29.41sec)
2 SHIMA SHINE
Trainer: Andrea Dailly (Anakie)
Comment: Won 34 from 58. Absolute superstar chasing third Group 1 victory. Set track alight in near-record heat victory and a deserved favourite. (PB – 28.95sec)
3 LAKEVIEW WALTER
Trainer: Monique Whelan (Metung)
Comment: Won 9 from 18. Won G1 Silver Chief at The Meadows in January. Excellent Sandown record of five wins and two seconds from seven starts. (PB – 29.15sec)
4 EQUALIZER
Trainer: Jason Thompson (Pearcedale)
Comment: Won 16 from 39. Contesting third G1 final this year, after lining up in the Silver Chief and Temlee, and runner-up in G2 Cranbourne Cup and G2 Warragul Cup. (PB – 29.61sec)
5 CATCH THE THIEF
Trainer: Jason Thompson (Pearcedale)
Comment: Won 22 from 46, including five from seven at Sandown Park. Proven performer at elite level; runner-up in G1 Adelaide Cup and G2 Shepparton Cup and winner Group 2 WA Derby and G3 Warragul St Leger. (PB – 29.21sec)
6 CARRY ON ANGEL
Trainer: Tim Britton (Lara)
Comment: Won 12 from 42, with six of his wins coming at Sandown. Recent G2 Geelong Gold Cup finalist and ran third in G3 Easter Gift this track/distance. (PB – 29.42sec)
7 FERNANDO BLUEY
Trainer: Kayla Cottrell (Pearcedale)
Comment: Won 18 from 34, including 10 of last 14. Runner-up G1 Australian Cup and only defeat in five appearances at Sandown came when second in Harrison-Dawson heat at first start in six weeks. (PB – 29.14sec)
8 TIGGERLONG TONK
Trainer: Correy Grenfell (Anakie)
Comment: Grand campaigner with 38 wins from his 78 starts, including 11 victories at Sandown. Deservedly broke G1 drought at his 10th attempt when winning Perth Cup last month and ran third in this race last year. (PB – 29.03sec)
Reserves
9 MUSIC EVENT
Trainer: Michael Carter (Kialla)
Comment: Won 15 from 37. Good strike rate and won G3 Cup Night Sprint this track/distance. (PB – 29.25sec)
10 LOTS OF CHATTER
Trainer: Graeme Jose (Catani)
Comment: Won 23 from 66. Only previous Group race appearance in G2 Cranbourne Cup. (PB – 29.36sec)
HEAT WINNERS
(fastest to slowest)
- 29.00sec Shima Shine
- 29.10sec Tiggerlong Tonk
- 29.49sec Fire Legend
- 29.52sec Catch The Thief
Group 1 Sapphire Crown (515m)
1 CRAZY COOL
Trainer: Robert Jacobsen (Moorooka, QLD)
Comment: Won 13 from 33. Won G2 Richmond Oaks and G3 Golden Ticket, runner-up to Shima Shine in G1 Gold Bullion and also second in G2 Queensland Futurity. Made Sandown debut with 29.60sec heat win. (PB – 29.60sec)
2 JUNK FOOD JUNKIE
Trainer: Jessica Sharp (Avalon)
Comment: Won 16 from 65. Lining up in third Group final in last month after finishing fourth in both G2 Geelong Gold Cup and G3 Ladies Bracelet. Won four from seven exiting Box 2. (PB – 29.39sec)
3 SHIMA CLASSIC
Trainer: Andrea Dailly (Anakie)
Comment: Won eight from 17. Younger half-sister to champion Shima Shine and finalist in G1 Australian Cup and G2 Ballarat Cup. (PB – 29.52sec)
4 CARRY ON STAR
Trainer: Tim Britton (Lara)
Comment: Won 10 from 31. Making first appearance at Group level. (PB – 29.42sec)
5 PERSIAN GODDESS
Trainer: Ben Joske (Yinnar South)
Comment: Lightly raced winner of 7 from 14. Opened Sandown account with shock heat win at massive odds of $47.50. (PB – 29.57sec)
6 QWARA BALE
Trainer: Andrea Dailly (Anakie)
Comment: Rising star who has won 12 from 21. After dominant G2 Warrnambool Cup victory, she set the pace in last week’s heats and remains unbeaten in three starts at Sandown. (PB – 29.28sec)
7 MEPUNGA KATIE
Trainer: Jeffrey Britton (Anakie)
Comment: Won 8 from 26. Making second appearance at Group level after qualifying for G3 Cranbourne Classic. Chased home fastest heat winner Qwara Bale last week. (PB – 29.52sec)
8 ASTON SILK
Trainer: Jason Thompson (Pearcedale)
Comment: Won 16 from 52. Narrowly beaten in this race last year when runner-up to star kennelmate Black Opium. Also a G1 National Futurity finalist. Placed 12 of 16 starts at Sandown with four wins. (PB – 29.46sec)
Reserves
9 AMBITIOUS
Trainer: Karen Pitt (Pearcedale)
Comment: Showing promise winning 4 from 11 but this is a tough ask. (PB – 29.50sec)
10 IMMUNITY
Trainer: Jason Thompson (Pearcedale)
Comment: Won 12 from 17, including three Sandown wins. Classy half-sister to last year’s winner Black Opium. Beaten odds-on favourite in G2 Laurels this track/distance in December. (PB – 29.13sec)
HEAT WINNERS
(fastest to slowest)
- 29.28sec Qwara Bale
- 29.57sec Persian Goddess
- 29.60sec Crazy Cool
- 29.67sec Carry On Star
KEY TIMES
- 6.04pm First race
- 6.49pm Heat 1 Sandown Cup (Race 3)
- 7.10pm Heat 2 Sandown Cup (Race 4)
- 7.28pm Heat 3 Sandown Cup (Race 5)
- 7.49pm Sapphire Crown Final (Race 6)
- 8.13pm Heat 4 Sandown Cup (Race 7)
- 8.34pm Harrison-Dawson Final (Race 8)
- 9.58pm Last race (Race 12)
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
- Comprehensive coverage on Sky Racing Active with Jason Adams and Mark Ohlmus from 5.45pm, which will also be streamed via The Watchdog app.
- Watch every race LIVE and FREE via watchdog.grv.org.au or on Sky Racing.
- RSN Racing and Sport (927 AM) & SEN Track (1593 AM).
- Extensive Twitter coverage with ‘@WatchDogRacing’ & ‘@SandownDogs’.
