Dyna Double One takes out 2016 Australian Cup
DYNA Double One became just the third greyhound to break the $1 million mark in the history of greyhound racing on Saturday night when taking out the Group 1 Australian Cup at The Meadows.
Starting from box two in the $250,000-to-the-winner feature, the Andrea Dailly-trained chaser had to settle just off the pace in the run around the first turn before unleashing a powerful run down the back, claiming the lead around the home turn and charging clear to score by 3.1 lengths in a fast 29.76.
Black Frenzy, which led from box five for the majority of the trip, finished second, with Diego Bale, also trained by Andrea Dailly, filling the trifecta back in third spot.
It was the fourth group 1 success for the son of Barcia Bale and Crystin Bale, with owner Paul Wheeler telling Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) afterwards that, despite the allure of the upcoming Group 1 Golden Easter Egg series at Wentworth Park, Dyna Double One could be immediately retired to stud.
“He's three years old now and he's earned over $1M in prize money. He doesn't need to do anything else. At this stage of the game I'm tempted to retire him to stud, but it's going to be a family decision, so I'll go back home and have a talk with (son) Brendan and (wife) Jan and pan it out from there, but there is a big chance that tonight was his last run,” Wheeler said.
A winner of 31 of his 54 starts, Dyna Double One is just the third greyhound to complete the Melbourne Cup/Australian Cup double, having defeated his superstar kennel mate Fernando Bale to take out Australia's richest greyhound race in November last year.
The black chaser's biggest wins have come in the Group 1 Brisbane Cup, the Group 1 Rookie Rebel, the Group 1 Australian Cup, the Group 1 Melbourne Cup and the Group 3 Perth Cup Consolation, while he also holds track records at three Metropolitan tracks (Albion Park 29.51, The Meadows 33.91, Sandown Park 33.63) and has placed or competed in a further eight group races throughout his career (2nd Group 1 Peter Mosman, Group 1 Winter Cup, 3rd Group 1 Silver Chief, Group 1 Topgun, Finalist Group 1 Golden Easter Egg, Group 1 Maturity, Group 1 Adelaide Cup, Group 1 Hobart 1000).
The other main attraction of the night, the Group 1 Australian Stayers Cup, was taken out by the evergreen Star Recall for Jeff Britton.
The winner of the 2014 Group 1 Sale Cup (650m) showed brilliant dash to take up the early lead and was too good for the fast finishing Esparza, recording a 0.34 length win in 42.47.
The daughter of High Earner and No Recall has been one of the most consistent greyhounds across Australia since starting her career back in 2013, with her record now standing at 70 starts for 40 wins and 12 minor placings, with $445,785 in career earnings.
Star Recall will turn four next month but doesn't seem to be slowing down at all and is sure to be a force to be reckoned with in the staying features in the near future.