Greyhound racing’s Group 3 Northern Districts Cup (450m) will be held at Shepparton on Saturday night, with the final offering $35,500 in prize money.
First run in 2014, the event has a unique criteria in that it is open only to greyhounds that are bred in Victoria, have not won in the city, have raced on at least two occasions at Shepparton and not won more than $25,000 in prize money.
With Saturday night’s final, to be run at 8.32pm, carrying a first prize of $25,000, the winner will effectively double their career earnings at the very least.
Four heats of the Northern Districts Cup were run on Monday night with the first two place getters making it through to the final. The final brings together a number of outstanding prospects including the fastest heat winner Sonny Daze, Smart As Jack (won 11 from 20) and Rolling Stone, who has won seven from 12 and never missed a place.
Local hopes will be pinned on Smart As Jack, trained at Stanhope by Adele Powell, and half-siblings All Inn Abby and All Inn Morgan, both trained at Harston by Tony Duncan.
Saturday night’s race meeting is supported by four feature memorial races named in honour of prominent contributors to greyhound racing at Shepparton – Alec Reid, Doug Ferremi, Keith Warburton and Kel Tremellen.
There’ll also be plenty of interest in the performance of Benchester in the $6,500 to-the-winner Alec Reid Dash For Cash (385m), after the Mark Morrissey-trained greyhound broke Shepparton’s 385m track record on Monday night with a sizzling win in 21.42sec. He’ll line up in Race 5 at 8.08pm.
How to follow Saturday night’s Northern Districts Cup action:
- Watch every race LIVE and FREE on The Watchdog app or watchdog.grv.org.au.
- Sky Racing & RSN Racing and Sport (927 AM).
- Live Twitter coverage with ‘Watchdog Racing’ from 6.30pm.
GROUP 3 NORTHERN DISTRICTS CUP FINAL (450M)
Shepparton – Saturday 31 October, 8.32pm
First prize – $25,000
1 KALTER (Alice Peat, Axedale)
2 SONNY DAZE (Rodney Clark, Toolleen)
3 SMART AS JACK (Adele Powell, Stanhope)
4 MAGIC BULLDOZER (Matthew Marshall, Bacchus Marsh)
5 ROLLING STONE (Karen Pitt, Pearcedale)
6 BETT’S BLUES (Paul Abela, Parwan)
7 ALL INN ABBY (Tony Duncan, Harston)
8 ALL INN MORGAN (Tony Duncan, Harston)
Reserves
9 POCORN PAYOUT (Alice Peat, Axedale)
10 SO SAY (Jason Whybrow, Wangaratta)
2020 HEAT WINNERS
- Sonny Daze 25.06sec (Best)
- Rolling Stone 25.27sec
- Bett’s Blues 25.23sec
- All Inn Morgan 25.44sec
Smart As Jack is a huge threat in the Northern Districts Cup despite running second in a heat.
NORTHERN DISTRICTS CUP: PREVIOUS WINNERS
- 2014 Dewana Result (Brendan Dewan, Edithvale VIC)
- 2015 Soda Lad (Tanya Auld, Tatura VIC)
- 2016 Bear’s Gold (Keith Hellmuth, Pearcedale, VIC)
- 2017 (May) Sure To Excite (Graham James, Woodleigh VIC)
- 2017 (Nov) Crook Me Kindly (Jessica Sharp, Avalon VIC)
- 2018 Circus Oasis (Peter Dapiran, Northwood VIC)
- 2019 Swift Current (Michael Carter, Kialla VIC)
Presentation rugs to be awarded to the winners of Saturday night’s four Memorial events.
