Author: Editor BOAY

The Monday racing spotlight will be focused firmly on Shepparton tonight with The Watchdog excited about the ‘Must Watch’ clash between True Collinda, a newcomer to the potent Jason Thompson kennel, and My Name’s Phil. True Collinda (4 from 9), a litter sister to Sandown 595m record holder and G3 Speed Star (600m) winner Collinda Patty, ran third at Bendigo first-up for Thompson and drawn in Box 1, The Watchdog is tipping her to prevail against another lightly-raced talent in Rod Clark’s My Name’s Phil (3 from 9). Jason Thompson…

After 18 months of planning, the Melbourne Greyhound Racing Association (MGRA) is thrilled to announce the inaugural eight Slot Holders for the 2021 TAB Phoenix. To be held on Saturday night 18 December 2021 at The Meadows, The TAB Phoenix is a $1.145 million slot race for greyhounds, offering $750,000 to the winner. Individuals and organisations were invited to apply for a $75,000 slot in the race, with 14 quality applications received. “To be honest, I was worried we wouldn’t get enough applications to hold the race, so to receive…

Greyhound Racing Victoria’s continual pursuit of safer racing across Victoria relies on a range of interrelated disciplines. These encompass continued safe and improved track design, quality track maintenance and education and preparation of greyhounds. To achieve the safest possible outcome, all of these must work concurrently to achieve the overall objective of reducing racing injuries as part of the GRV Safe Racing Program and commitment backed by a $10m investment across the state. One example of this integration is Shepparton Greyhound Racing Club. Over a three-year period until 2019, Shepparton…

Superstar sprinter Ferdinand Boy confirmed his status as Victorian greyhound racing’s country cups ‘king’ with a breathtaking victory in Sunday afternoon’s Group 2 SEN Track Healesville Cup (350m). It was Ferdinand Boy’s third country cup title in 2021, with Lara trainer David Geall, who bred and races the regally-related son of Ferdinand Bale and Nayla Swift, a half-sister to Geall’s dual G1 winner Up Hill Jill, in partnership with wife Rose, celebrating a $100,000 payday. In addition to the $50,000 Cup winner’s purse, Ferdinand Boy was also the recipient of…

The ‘distance’ component of greyhound racing’s inaugural Grassroots Regional Championships will take place across four provincial clubs this Thursday and Friday. Warrnambool and Shepparton (Thursday) as well as Geelong and Warragul (Friday) are the host clubs, with those respective meetings to also incorporate semi-finals of the Grassroots ‘Sprint’ Championships following last week’s heats. The Grassroots Distance Championship is open to greyhounds with a 250+ Rank that have had a minimum of 10 starts. Maidens are ineligible. The Sprint and Distance finals will be held at Ballarat on Wednesday 22 September,…

Despite facing more decorated rivals, The Watchdog has selected Hill Top Jonah (14 from 27 – 4 from 7 Box 1) to register his seventh-straight victory in today’s $71,250 G2 SEN Track Healesville Cup final (350m). The quickest of last Sunday’s six heat winners is not only contesting his first Group final, but also facing two superstars in the feature event of the Healesville Festival of Racing. Dual G1 winner Tiggerlong Tonk (42 from 88 – 18.93sec PB) – lining up in his 22nd Group event – has won three…

Gypsy Wyong has ‘roamed’ from sprinting to middle distance, to staying. And it appears she’s found her niche! Trained by Andrea Dailly, Gypsy Wyong was the ‘indisputable leader of the gang’ in tonight’s G3 Top Cat Video Cup final (725m) at The Meadows. A ‘most effectual’ distance prospect, Gypsy Wyong claimed a $25,000 first prize with a classy 42.56sec frontrunning exhibition at only her second staying start. Late last month, Gypsy Wyong (July ’19 Westmead Hawk x Dyna Gypsy) finished fourth to Collinda Patty in the G3 Speed Star (600m)…

Expert form analyst The Watchdog is tipping David Geall to train the quinella in Sunday afternoon’s Group 2 SEN Track Healesville Cup final (350m). Lara-based Geall has two leading contenders in G2 Ballarat and Shepparton Cup winner Ferdinand Boy, which is chasing a $50,000 bonus for winning three country cups in a calendar year, and fastest heat winner Hill Top Jonah. The Watchdog is predicting a bittersweet result for Geall, tipping him to walk away with the Cup but not the rich bonus, agreeing with TAB’s market that has Hill…

Champion Rowsley-based trainer Anthony Azzopardi is hoping Aston Titan (pictured) proves a Group 2 SEN Track Healesville Cup (350m) ‘colossus’ on Sunday. Azzopardi is chasing his second Healesville Cup in three years, having won with Myrniong And All in 2019. In fact, Aston Titan is his seventh finalist in the past five years. Last year, he had Aston Pilsner (3rd) – Aston Titan’s older half-brother – and Short Pork (4th); 2018 Raw Ability (7th); and 2017 Ando’s Mac (4th) and Lucky Chap (8th). Click HERE  for TAB’s Healesville Cup market…