Topgun 2010 Sees Good Representation Of Hunter Valley Greyhounds
Hunter Valley chasers Lochinvar Marlow and Snozz were Saturday night selected to compete in the invitation only Group One Topgun at The Meadows in Melbourne on October 23.
The Topgun, worth $100,000 to the winner, is considered the Cox Plate of greyhound racing and is run on the same night as Australian thoroughbred's greatest weight for age event, not far from the famed Moonee Valley circuit.
Lochinvar Marlow, owned by the NCA's Clare Gordon and trained at Barnsley by Robert Smith, was all but assured of a start in the Topgun after taking out the Group One Paws Of Thunder at Wentworth Park last week.
Lochinvar Marlow, which also won ‘The Macca', the Black Top consolation, has also come up with coveted rails draw in the Group One, which is especially advantageous at The Meadows in big races.
Snozz, trained by champion Richmond Vale conditioner Jason Mackay and owned by his brother Ian and uncle Larry Gibbons secured his invite mainly thanks to his victory in the Group Two Black Top at The Gardens, and strong Wentworth Park form.
NSW received a third invite into the Topgun with National Sprint Champion, Smooth Fancy also selected for outstanding young Londonderry trainer Anthony Azzopardi and owner Terry Kingcott.
The final field was selected by a panel of experts on Friday night, after initially having 22 greyhounds on the preliminary invite list.
Two other chasers for the area, Elite Blue Size and New Divide, were also on the short list of 22, but having two out of the final eight runners speaks volumes of the quality of greyhounds in the Hunter Valley area.
The box draw for the race is;
2010 Group 1 Topgun
- 1 – Lochinvar Marlow (NSW)
- 2 – Cosmic Chief (Vic)
- 3 – Smooth Fancy (NSW)
- 4 – El Grand Senor (Vic)
- 5 – Snozz (NSW)
- 6 – Mr. Metz (Qld)
- 7 – Enry Walt (Vic)
- 8 – Pedrosa (WA)
- 9 – Proven Jett (Vic)
- 10 – Magnifique (NSW)