Canya All Class to chase The Sandgroper success with MintBet
Greyhound racing fans have their first confirmed contender for the 2025 The Sandgroper, with Group 1 star Canya All Class locked in to race for MintBet in the $600,000 slot race at Cannington on April 24.
The Jessica Hopkins-trained chaser is currently gearing up for a tilt at the Group 1 Australian Cup at The Meadows this weekend, where he will jump from box 2 at $5.50 odds with the top greyhound bookmakers.
His impressive record and proving he is a contender over the sprint distance makes him a natural choice for MintBet’s slot in The Sandgroper, with being the only dog selected, Bet365 have shortened their odds to $7.50.
MintBet officially announced its partnership with Canya All Class and trainer Jessica Hopkins, expressing excitement about their first foray into the prestigious slot race.
“Australia Cup contender Canya All Class is MINT. MintBet wishes Jess Hopkins and the team the best of luck this Saturday, on the road to The $600k Western Trilogy greyhound feature – The Sandgroper – April 24, only 9 weeks away.”
Trainer Jessica Hopkins spoke about the collaboration, highlighting how easily the partnership came together.
“The decision was very easy to join with MintBet, but I’m looking forward to the next eight weeks.”
“So excited to have MintBet on board. We’re going to really enjoy these next eight weeks, and, well, hopefully, partnership continues for a long time ahead.”
Canya All Class has proven himself at the highest level of greyhound racing, with major victories, including his Group 1 Topgun Stayers win.
He was also the fastest qualifier for the 2024 Sale Cup, breaking the track record with a blistering 36.19 seconds over 640m.
Owner Corey Smith is thrilled to see his chaser become the first confirmed runner for The Sandgroper and is eager to see how the rest of the field shapes up.
“Good to be part of any big race, but to be partnering with a good bunch of blokes and having plenty of fun leading up to the big one in a couple of months’ time. We’re looking forward to it.” Smith said.
“It’s gonna be plenty of fun having you guys as essentially part owners over the next few months.”
The Victorian-based greyhound will look to follow in the footsteps of Hector Fawley, who claimed The Sandgroper title in 2024 for the East Coast raiders.
With 17 career wins and potentially a Group 1 Australian Cup victory under his belt in a few days, Canya All Class is expected to be one of the key contenders in the WA feature race.
The 2025 Sandgroper is set to take place on Thursday, April 24, at Cannington as part of The Western Trilogy, Australia’s premier slot-race series spanning thoroughbred, harness, and greyhound racing.
Featuring a $600,000 prize pool, it has rapidly become one of the most anticipated races in the sport.
The Sandgroper operates under a slot-holder model, with eight exclusive slots purchased by leading racing syndicates and bookmakers.
For 2025, the slot holders include: Awesome Lodge, Ladbrokes, MintBet, Chasebet, RAM Racing Syndicate, Sportsbet, TABtouch, and Total Container Solutions / Team Britton.
With only one confirmed runner so far, the race is set to attract a field of elite contenders.
Neds Bookmaker currently has Jason Thompson’s Excavation as a $5.50 co-favourite, with the Thompson team set to send one of their stars to compete for Awesome Lodge.
2024 WA Greyhound of the Year Miss Envy is also listed at $5.50, with strong interest already emerging for the Shinners family.