Scene Set For Warrnambool Cup Thriller

HOMETOWN hopeful Crimson Vixen is right in the thick of things for Wednesday night's Group 2 Macey's Bistro Warrnambool Cup Final (450m) after a courageous second to Whiskey Riot in last week's qualifiers.

Trained by legendary local conditioner Norm McCullagh, Crimson Vixen showed her customary early brilliance in last week's heats, before being nabbed right on the line by Anthony Azzopardi's Whiskey Riot in a slick 25.10.

The performance of the winner was exceptional.

"I was happy with her run because it was her first start since Sydney three weeks ago – she didn't handle that trip too well and came home dehydrated," said 79-year old McCullagh earlier this week.

"It's a very good field Wednesday and she'll need to lead and probably hope for a little trouble behind her. In saying that though the heat was her first run for a few weeks so she should find a length or so. She'll hold a straight line early so box two suits her, she's had a slip up the straight this week and a swim – she's right to go."

The time-standard from last week's heats was set by Correy Grenfell's Group 1 Perth Cup winner Orson Allen, the son of Kc And All eyeing a $50,000 bonus if successful in Wednesday night's cup decider, having already landed this year's Cranbourne and Horsham Cups.

A drifting $3.20 favourite with bookmaker Bet365, Orson Allen shifts from box one in his heat romp to box eight for Wednesday's $47,000 to-the-winner decider, with an abundance of early speed drawn underneath the prolific winning sprinter, enough to see bookies ‘risk' the 26 race winner.

Eyeing a fifth straight win in Wednesday night's finale is the Steve Collins-trained Dyna Hunter, the son of Dyna Villa, winner of the Warragul Cup earlier in the year, a dashing 25.09 heat winner, staving off the late challenge of Flynn to score by 1 ¾ lengths.

Dyna Hunter is a $4.40 second favourite with Bet365, with the third line of betting shared by Lucy's Milo, Crimson Vixen and Whiskey Riot at $6.00 apiece.

Lucy's Milo, a son of Dyna Double One, has drawn ideally for Andrea Dailly in box one for Wednesday's final following his powerhouse 25.05 heat success, with the kennel also qualifying Australian Cup winner Dyna Patty, the daughter of Fernando Bale quoted a $9.00 chance from box four.

Adding to the theatre of what promises to be an engrossing Warrnambool Cup decider, the two rank outsiders, Myrniong And All and Eye Got It, quoted at $15.00 and $21.00 respectively, have the speed to make an impression in the early stages, and are quite capable of determining how the group 2 feature is decided.

With Warrnambool always abuzz this time of year as the town readies for another bumper thoroughbred carnival, the spotlight will firmly shift to the greyhounds this Wednesday night, where a stellar field of sprinters line-up for the Group 2 Warrnambool Cup decider.

Click here for last week's heat results

Click here for Wednesday night's form-guide