Sandown Readies For Melbourne Cup Heats

GREYHOUND racing's most anticipated night of chasing action has arrived with eight heats of the Group 1 TAB-sponsored Melbourne Cup (515m) set down for decision at Sandown Park this Friday evening.

Widely regarded as the grandest night of racing the sport offers, a blockbuster 12-race card will see the best 64 greyhounds in the land vying for spots in the following week's $435,000 to-the-winner Melbourne Cup finale.

And with four qualifiers of the Group 1 Bold Trease for the stayers also set down for decision this Friday, all is in readiness for an insatiable night of chasing out of Sandown Park, in the lead up to what will be an extravaganza of feature racing action next weekend.

Trainer Seona Thompson, out to defend her Melbourne Cup title following Aston Dee Bee's sensational victory last year, will line-up no less than five runners in Friday night's heats, with Group 1 Topgun winner Poke The Bear joined by Group 1 Vic Peters Classic hero Deliver, the unbeaten Black Opium, Aston Kimetto and Spring Bridge.

Taking an embarrassment of riches into Friday night's heats, an absorbing battle looms in heat six, where Thompson's Topgun hero Poke The Bear faces off against the hugely talented Miss Splendamiro, the pair drawing boxes four and one respectively.

Last start winner of the Group 3 Silver Bullet at The Meadows, running down champion bitch Up Hill Jill right on the line in an herculean performance, Poke The Bear has been installed one of the favourites in all-in betting for this year's Cup but faces a significant task in the heats, having to overcome an airborne Miss Splendamiro.

Unbeaten in two Sandown Park appearances recently for new trainer Dave Geall, the group winning daughter of Barcia Bale heads into this year's Melbourne Cup Series in outstanding form, finding a real home at Geall's Lara kennels if recent efforts are anything to go by.

New South Wales' hopes of Melbourne Cup glory will rest on three trainers, with Jason Mackay – winner of the 2016 Cup with Ando's Mac –  represented by three runners (True Talent, Zipping Tayla and Aston Duke), while Jodie Lagogiane lines up Million Dollar Chase winner Mystic Riot, and trainer Jason  Magri heads to the races with Zipping Falcon.

Just two runners from last year's finale will take part in the 2018 renewal, with Up Hill Jill set to go around in heat five, while Kouta Mayhem, third in 2017, takes his place from box eight in qualifier seven.