Bounding Billy Melbourne Cup Bound
Bounding Billy booked his ticket into the Schweppes Melbourne Cup heats with an emphatic win in the second Schweppes Melbourne Cup Prelude series at Sandown Park tonight.
Beginning brilliantly from the awkward box 5, Bounding Billy ($4.30) jumped to an early lead as favourite Cold Cold Change ($2) found early trouble. As Cold Cold Change languished at the tail of the field, Bounding Billy established an unassailable lead, going on to beat Bora Bale ($9.70) by five lengths in 29.93.
Jacks On Aces ($21.30) avoided trouble to win an incident-packed Prelude in 30.50. Betty's Angel ($4.20), the winner of the 2006 Schweppes Melbourne Cup, began quickly in her first run for 10 months but was checked when rounding the first turn.
Jacks On Aces swept around the field to lead down the back, and when Betty's Angel and favourite Finlandia ($1.90) found more trouble approaching the final turn, Jacks On Aces was able to race away to a 2.75 length win.
Also winning Preludes were Lynlea's King ($2.10F), who led all the way to win in a slick 29.79, while Victory Time ($12.60) powered down the middle of the track to win in 30.18.
In the night's other feature the Navy Week Trophy, fastest qualifier Stoner Bale ($3.90) proved his class by overcoming a slow start to run down favourite Din's Son ($2.70) by four lengths in 29.73.
The winner of each Schweppes Melbourne Cup Prelude qualifies for the heats of the $250,000 Group 1 Schweppes Melbourne Cup, the final of which to be run on Thursday 27 November.
And it was an extraordinary night for followers of our new Sandown Race Preview service.
If you followed our leads and included the highlighted runners, you'd have backed four of five winners and scored a $12.60 winner in to the deal as well.
If you missed the first edition of our new Sandown Race Previews, don't panic; they'll be continuing every week and will be available on the site at least 24 hours prior to each Sandown race meeting.
Australian Racing Greyhound, helping you find the winners at each and every Sandown meeting all year long.