Star Victorians Assured Nationals Spots

A frenetic few hours of racing action will determine the make-up of the Group 1 National Sprint & Distance Championships this Thursday night.

With the countdown on to the Crocmedia-sponsored $75,000 to-the-winner finals at Cannington on Saturday, August 24, qualifiers will be run and won this Thursday night, the first time the state finals have all been decided on the same day under the same umbrella.

Another first in 2019 is the introduction of New Zealand into the Nationals fold, qualifiers from across the Tasman to be decided at Addington this Thursday, their addition only adding to the intrigue leading into the grand finals in a few weeks' time.

And while there is plenty of interest and hype surrounding the possible representatives for the National Sprint and Distance Grand Finals, who snares the wild-card spots is shaping up to be as equally compelling.

Introduced back in 2009 to create further interest around the Nationals format, the wild-card also rewards outstanding achievement, with the country's top ranked sprinters and stayers provided a security blanket if they fail to qualify for the grand final blockbusters via their respective state finals.

WATCH: Tornado Tears' 2018 Group 1 National Distance success

With the shift in 2019 to ‘best-8's' to determine the distance grand finalists, the wild-card for the National Distance Grand Final has become fairly straight forward, so it would seem, in the absence of state heats.

Champion stayer Tornado Tears is assured of a National Distance place, and the opportunity to defend his group 1 title, just by lining up at The Meadows this Thursday night.

If the Rob Britton-trained star wins the Victorian final as betting would suggest, then Blue Moon Rising is next in line for the wild-card slot, the Group 1 Superstayers winner only needing to take his place at Wentworth Park in the NSW qualifier on Thursday.

If Tornado Tears and Blue Moon Rising both win their state finals, things become most interesting.

The next stayer on the AGRA group race rankings is Queenslander Double Gee, seventh to Tornado Tears in last year's National Distance Grand Final at Sandown Park, but the son of Dyna Double One is absent from the Queensland qualifier at Albion Park on Thursday.

That means Veloce Nero would then come into the wild-card mix, the sister to Blue Moon Rising set to be the beneficiary if both he and Tornado Tears win their state finals.

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Thankfully, the sprint wild-card slot is quite straight forward, with just the two possible recipients.

The Correy Grenfell-trained Orson Allen is assured of a trip to Perth regardless of his finishing position in Thursday's Victorian sprint decider.

If he wins Thursday's state final, fellow Victorian finalist Dyna Patty will gain the wild-card sprint spot as the fourth highest ranked sprinter, given the absence of Sennachie (2nd) and Feral Franky (3rd) from the series.

Interestingly, Sportsbet currently has Tornado Tears a $1.35 favourite in all-in betting to take out the National Distance Grand Final on August 24.

Back in March, the champion stayer won his heat of the Group 1 Galaxy at Cannington by 18 lengths in a breathtaking track record 41.25, before finishing second in the final to Rockstar Patriot when never out of bother.

On the same night, Orson Allen was a powerhouse winner of the Group 1 Perth Cup in 29.62, after winning his heat just outside Quick Jagger's track record in 29.32.

The son of Kc And All is currently $2.50 in all-in betting to land the Group 1 feature in a fortnight's time, a price that will likely be most appealing following Thursday night's results, given his spot in the sprint blockbuster is already assured.

The New Zealand sprint and distance qualifiers are due to getaway at 5.24pm and 5.43pm AESTD on Thursday, while the remainder of the finals in Australia will be staged between 8.07pm and 9.52pm AESTD.

Buckle in for a great night's racing!