GRV’s Peter Quilty, Gerard Guthrie and Trent Langskaill have delved into their memory banks and ranked the Top 10 Victorian races of 2022 after some robust discussion.
#1 YACHI BALE
Group 1 Sportsbet Melbourne Cup Final
Sandown Park (November 26)
Trainer: Mark Delbridge, Balliang VIC
Time: 29.211 seconds
Considering the enormity of the race and where Yachi Bale was positioned entering the back straight, this takes top spot for 2022.
Yachi Bale was only having his 22nd start, and the world’s greatest greyhound race was supposed to be a stepping stone to the Group 1 Sale Cup (he finished third in the final).
Yachi Bale was able to navigate through the field and run down Group winner Plaintiff – one of the hottest greyhounds at the time – and eventual Group 1 Hobart Thousand winner Fernando Mick.
The time of 29.211 seconds on a rain-affected track from a backmarker was outstanding when you factor in that Koblenz won the Melbourne Cup Final in 29.398 seconds leading from start-to-finish 12 months earlier.
It was a victory to be savoured.
#2 STAGGER OUT LEE
Group 1 Sportsbet Bold Trease Final
Sandown Park (November 26)
Trainer: Jack Strutt, Springvale NSW
Time: 41.711 seconds
It was appropriate that this unbelievable victory occurred in a race that is named in honour of a greyhound that produced this type of win on a regular basis.
Stagger Out Lee was no chance when the Bold Trease field went past the 715-metre boxes.
She was last and had to pass greyhounds the caliber of recent Group 1 Topgun Stayers winner Moraine Suzie, reigning Group 1 Sandown Cup champion Untapped and fellow New South Wales-based stayer Cawbourne Magic.
Someway, somehow, Stagger Out Lee weaved a passage to victory that had to be seen to be believed.
“Wow!” was all that racecaller Dan Hibberd had to exclaim for everyone to know that they had witnessed something special.
#3 WOW SHE’S FAST
The Phoenix
The Meadows (December 17)
Trainer: Jackie Greenough, Pearcedale VIC
Time: 29.843 seconds
Twelve months earlier, Wow She’s Fast surprised her rivals at her seventh start in the first edition of The Phoenix.
Despite her subsequent accomplishments including two Group 1 wins, there were concerns heading into the second edition of the world’s richest greyhound race due to her recent starts in full-field races.
On this occasion, Wow She’s Fast began well and was able to trail the superstar She’s A Pearl before getting the better of the New South Wales-based superstar at the home turn.
However, Wow She’s Fast had to hold off the hard-charging Amron Boy in a fantastic finish that led to slot holder Sportsbet partying for the second straight year.
Her reward for winning The Phoenix was becoming the first Australian greyhound to surpass $2 million in prize money.
#4 KELSEY BALE
Group 3 Silver Bullet
The Meadows (October 31)
Trainer: Daniel Gibbons, Avalon VIC
Time: 29.562 seconds
Kelsey Bale finally snared a deserved Group win after placings in the Group 1 Maturity Classic Final and Group 3 Warragul St Leger.
The performance was remarkable when you consider that she was less than three lengths off the 525-metre track record after coming from last at the first turn.
The greyhounds she powered away from included eventual Group 1 winners Amron Boy and Fernando Mick, plus multiple Group 1 finalist Titan Blazer.
#5 ASTON RUPEE
Group 1 Temlee
The Meadows (February 12)
Trainer: Glenn Rounds, Devon Meadows VIC
Time: 29.612 seconds
It is astonishing to think that it has been nine months since we saw Aston Rupee in action.
This was a devastating display three months after he secured his first Group 1 triumph in the Topgun.
Idolize, Do It and Zippy Tesla – all Group 1 winners in the previous four months – were among the challengers that had no answer for Aston Rupee once he found the front.
#6 ASTON RUPEE
Australian Cup Consolation
The Meadows (February 26)
Trainer: Glenn Rounds, Devon Meadows VIC
Time: 29.385 seconds
Two weeks after claiming the Group 1 Temlee, Aston Rupee almost broke the long-standing 525-metre track record at The Meadows in what would be the last of his 23 victories.
The Sandown Park 515-metre track record holder (broke 29 seconds on four occasions) had the crowd in awe 20 minutes before the running of the Group 1 Australian Cup Final.
His time of 29.385 seconds was a whisker off the time of 29.376 seconds set by Allen Deed on January 3, 2015.
#7 WOW SHE’S FAST
Group 1 Sapphire Crown Final
Sandown Park (May 19)
Trainer: Jackie Greenough, Pearcedale
Time: 28.817 seconds
After a couple of indifferent runs by her standards at Wentworth Park, Wow She’s Fast dominated her heat and the final of the Group 1 Sapphire Crown.
Her time of 28.817 seconds was marginally off the time of 28.79 seconds set by Aston Rupee on September 9, 2021.
This victory was eerily similar to her Group 3 Launching Pad triumph one month prior when she clocked a run of 28.927 seconds.
#8 UNTAPPED
Group 1 Sandown Cup Final
Sandown Park (May 19)
Trainer: Dustin Drew, Dennington VIC
Time: 41.402 seconds
One of the toughest wins for 2022 occurred in the world’s premier distance race for greyhounds.
Multiple Group 1 placegetter Untapped and Jarick Bale – then a two-time Group 1 winner – staged an enthralling battle for the majority of the Group 1 Sandown Cup Final.
Untapped prevailed in a time that was just over three lengths off the 715-metre track record set by Here’s Tears on January 30, 2020.
#9 AMRON BOY
Group 1 Sportsbet Silver Chief Final
The Meadows (December 10)
Trainer: Brooke Ennis, Lara VIC
Time: 29.452 seconds
One week after running one length off The Meadows 525-metre track record, Amron Boy repeated the performance in the Group 1 Silver Chief Final.
There was probably a combination of jubilation and relief for Brooke and Jamie Ennis considering his runs before and during the Sportsbet Dream Chasers Festival.
This victory and the flying finish in The Phoenix indicates the talent that Amron Boy possesses and he is a huge chance of securing more Group race success in 2023.
#10 WOW SHE’S FAST
Sportsbet Showdown
Sandown Park (November 26)
Trainer: Jackie Greenough, Pearcedale VIC
Time: 29.141 seconds
Melbourne Cup night provided three of the best runs in 2022 within a 50-minute period.
The Sportsbet Showdown between Wow She’s Fast and Amron Boy was heavily hyped and it did not disappoint.
Wow She’s Fast was able to withstand the late challenge of Amron Boy in a match race that captivated the crowd at Sandown Park who were still in amazement over the run of Stagger Out Lee in the Group 1 Bold Trease Final.
