And now for the big one
Nation’s best to contest Australia’s richest ever race
Jason Thompson will launch an eight dog assault on the Schweppes Melbourne Cup heats
at Sandown Park this Thursday night.
Thompson won the Melbourne Cup with Light Of Fire in 1994, however his talented
kennel stars will need to overcome some awkward box draws if he is to repeat that success.
El Galo, the Group 1 Topgun winner and subject of last week’s positive swab has
drawn box 6, as did Queenslander Yikes, while last start Group 1 Vic Peters Memorial winner Nitro
Burst, Proven Polly and Proven Alias have each drawn box 5 in their respective heats. He had more
luck with Group 2 Shepparton Cup winner Hanify’s Impact drawing box 2, while the exciting Fedex and
Wanalta Chief each drew box 3 in their heats.
Other leading contenders include last week’s Group 3 Shootout winner Mantra Lad who
will jump from box 1 in the final heat of Australia’s most sought after greyhound title,
Group 1 winners Que Sera Sera, Made To Size, One Tree Hill, Borat and Hybrid Theory, and Queen
Lauryn who will be out to deny Miss Mini Mouse an unprecedented third Melbourne Cup final
The Schweppes Melbourne Cup heats night has no peer on the national greyhound racing
calendar. The 64 greyhounds drawn to compete in the heats of the Group 1 Schweppes Melbourne Cup
have combined for over $4.3 million in career prizemoney and features 10 individual Group 1 winners
and 22 Group race winners combining for 33 Group race titles.
The 2008 Schweppes Melbourne Cup is the 53
rd running of Australia’s blue ribband event and is the richest ever, with $250,000 in
prizemoney on offer.
Australia's best stayers will also compete for the right to contest the final
of the $36,000 Group 2 Bold Trease Carnival Cup.
Group 1 Sandown Cup winner Chinatown Lad resumes from a brief injury lay off, and
will be joined by kennel mate and three time Group 2 winner (and twice Group 1 runner up) Fallen
Zorro.
Robert Britton’s pair Kulu Spirit and Gunnadoo Magic will be out to turn the tables
on the star Tasmanians, while Lilley Criminal returns from New South Wales having claimed two Group
race titles across the border.
Only the winner of each Schweppes Melbourne Cup heat will progress to the final to
be run at Sandown Park on Thursday 27 November. The boxdraw for the final will be conducted at the
Melbourne Cup ball on Saturday 22 November and will be available on www.sandowngreyhounds.com.au
from 10.30pm. A replay of each final will also be available online from Friday morning.
Sandown is offering TAB account holders free entry to the Melbourne Cup heats and
final. Simply present your TAB account card at the gate for free entry to Australia’s most
prestigious greyhound racing carnival.
Gates open at 6.00pm with the first race to be run at 7.07pm.
Click here
for the full fields for the 2008 Schweppes Melbourne Cup heats.
Click here
to see Shanlyn Prince win the 2007 Group 1 Schweppes Melbourne Cup.
