2014 Group Two Bendigo Cup Preview

Bendigo hosts Group Two racing on Friday night with the final of the Bendigo Cup taking place. Eight greyhounds will exit the boxes for the 425 metre trip at 9:10pm.

Many have commented that the field isn’t the strongest field to contest the Bendigo Cup (dogs the ilk of Black Magic Opal and Paw Licking contested the last Cup final), but the winner still gets to walk away with the $45,000 cheque and Group honours.

There are plenty of chances in this open field. Here is a look at the form-guide and some comments on each of the finalist’s hopes:

Box 1 Race Odds $3.50 Heat Replay	Pippa Shiraz		Trainer Robert Britton	Owner Treloar Syndicate	Prizemoney $77,235.00	Last 10 Starts 4713342F11
	43 Months   Black   Bitch   by   Bombastic Shiraz – Phiona Start Excellent Running Rail Finish Fair Prizemoney Rating $1,246.00 Rating 96		Career Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 62 18 15 9	Strike Rates Win % Place % 29% 68%	Track & Dist. Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 2 1 0 0	Box 1 Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 8 3 2 2
	Comments: Robert Britton (Trainer) – “I have the two slowest qualifiers so I am not overly confident. However, in saying that I have drawn really well as they have drawn the boxes they ewant. I’m not underestimating the fact that other dogs went quicker.”				Best Bendigo Times Best Last Sect. Best Sect. Last 24.07 24.07 6.59 6.59

Box 2 Race Odds $16.00 Heat Replay	Flying Bolt		Trainer Andrew Mooney	Owner Andrew Mooney	Prizemoney $26,065.00	Last 10 Starts 6573812671
	38 Months   Black & White   Dog   by   Vee Man Vane – Itza Choker Start Slow Running Middle Finish Good Prizemoney Rating $457.00 Rating 87		Career Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 57 14 9 4	Strike Rates Win % Place % 25% 47%	Track & Dist. Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 17 5 3 1	Box 2 Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 6 1 1 1
	Comments: ARG opinion is – Returned to the winner’s circle last week in a big upset, scoring at odds of 45/1. He is a track specialist but is a steady beginner and that may work against him in a Group final.				Best Bendigo Times Best Last Sect. Best Sect. Last 23.58 23.93 6.48 6.56

Box 3 Race Odds $5.50 Heat Replay	Zipping Snoopy		Trainer Peter Dapiran	Owner Hallinan Syndicate	Prizemoney $16,380.00	Last 10 Starts 1741363241
	29 Months   Red Fawn   Dog   by   Mantra Lad – Cho Chang Start Good Running Middle Finish Strong Prizemoney Rating $745.00 Rating 91		Career Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 22 6 5 3	Strike Rates Win % Place % 27% 64%	Track & Dist. Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 2 1 1 0	Box 3 Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 4 2 1 0
	Comments: ARG opinion is – Fastest heat winner who had his first win since April when taking out his Bendigo Cup heat. He was able to lead all the way from box three, the box he has drawn for this final. It will be interesting to see if he can repeat last week’s performance.				Best Bendigo Times Best Last Sect. Best Sect. Last 23.68 23.68 6.55 6.55

Box 4 Race Odds $4.20 Heat Replay	Luca Neveelk		Trainer Gerald Kleeven	Owner P Kleeven	Prizemoney $33,025.00	Last 10 Starts 1111111111
	26 Months   Blue   Dog   by   Talk’s Cheap – It’s A Neveelk Start Excellent Running Middle Finish Strong Prizemoney Rating $2,540.00 Rating 100		Career Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 13 12 0 1	Strike Rates Win % Place % 92% 100%	Track & Dist. Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 1 1 0 0	Box 4 Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 1 1 0 0
	Comments: ARG opinion is – Extremely talented greyhound who gets his chance to prove himself in his first Group race final. He has won 12 from 13 and with that kind of record, it is hard to bet against him.				Best Bendigo Times Best Last Sect. Best Sect. Last 23.87 23.87 6.60 6.60

Box 5 Race Odds $10.00 Heat Replay	White Spyro		Trainer Craig Davis	Owner Craig Davis	Prizemoney $33,185.00	Last 10 Starts 3222311131
	26 Months   White & Black   Bitch   by   Disintergrate – Hanify’s Elite Start Excellent Running Middle Finish Good Prizemoney Rating $1,229.00 Rating 95		Career Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 27 10 4 6	Strike Rates Win % Place % 37% 74%	Track & Dist. Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 4 2 2 0	Box 5 Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 8 4 1 2
	Comments: ARG opinion is – Flew out last week and a repeat of that will see her leading this field. If she can get to the front, she may just cause the upset.				Best Bendigo Times Best Last Sect. Best Sect. Last 23.79 23.79 6.48 6.48

Box 6 Race Odds $21.00 Heat Replay	Elite Devil		Trainer Michelle Mallia-Magri	Owner J Rosser	Prizemoney $26,865.00	Last 10 Starts 1764342121
	33 Months   Blue   Dog   by   Collision – Fourpeat Elite Start Good Running Rail Finish Strong Prizemoney Rating $726.00 Rating 90		Career Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 37 10 9 6	Strike Rates Win % Place % 27% 68%	Track & Dist. Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 4 2 1 0	Box 6 Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 5 1 3 0
	Comments: Michelle Mallia-Magri (Trainer) – “I’m hoping he wins. He is in with a big chance. There is no pace on his outside and the dog on his inside has pace so that might pull him out of the box. I would rather be drawn closer to the rail. He loves Bendigo and trialled 23.79 as a pup. Every dog is in with a chance. Most of the dogs in the final are strong but have no early pace so if you can begin well and run a strong 500 you can win it.”				Best Bendigo Times Best Last Sect. Best Sect. Last 23.86 23.86 6.61 6.61

Box 7 Race Odds $4.50 Heat Replay	Warrior King		Trainer Brooke Ennis	Owner T S Wales Syndicate	Prizemoney $82,780.00	Last 10 Starts 2112344451
	28 Months   Red Brindle   Dog   by   Turanza Bale – Flamenco Start Fair Running Middle Finish Strong Prizemoney Rating $2,670.00 Rating 91		Career Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 31 11 6 7	Strike Rates Win % Place % 35% 77%	Track & Dist. Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 2 2 0 0	Box 7 Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 3 1 0 0
	Comments: ARG opinion is – Class dog of the field who has been in and placed in a number of Group finals. His form had been an bit off since the Easter Egg but he performed strongly last weekm suggesting he may be coming back into form. He is a fair beginner bit can show pace if he gets the room. He can’t be written off in this field.				Best Bendigo Times Best Last Sect. Best Sect. Last 23.48 23.84 6.72 6.72

Box 8 Race Odds $5.00 Heat Replay	Senor Socks		Trainer Robert Britton	Owner Senor Syndicate	Prizemoney $19,115.00	Last 10 Starts 1151681111
	27 Months   Black & White   Dog   by   El Grand Senor – Irish Fantasy Start Risky Running Wide Finish Strong Prizemoney Rating $956.00 Rating 92		Career Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 20 12 1 1	Strike Rates Win % Place % 60% 70%	Track & Dist. Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 1 1 0 0	Box 8 Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 3 2 0 0
	Comments: Robert Britton (Trainer) – “I have the two slowest qualifiers so I am not overly confident. However, in saying that I have drawn really well as they have drawn the boxes they ewant. I’m not underestimating the fact that other dogs went quicker.”				Best Bendigo Times Best Last Sect. Best Sect. Last 24.06 24.06 6.66 6.66

1st Res Race Odds $31.00 Heart Replay	Top Secret		Trainer Kelly Bravo	Owner P Westerveld	Prizemoney $27,230.00	Last 10 Starts 7148222832
	28 Months   Black   Dog   by   Bartrim Bale – Witch Fantasy Start Risky Running Middle Finish Good Prizemoney Rating $1,297.00 Rating 92		Career Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 21 4 8 3	Strike Rates Win % Place % 19% 71%	Track & Dist. Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 4 0 2 1	Box Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd N/A N/A N/A N/A
	Comments: Made the final of the earlier instalment of the Bendigo Cup this year but ran last to Paw Licking. He then went on to have a month off an returned to racing in early June for two placings. He is a young dog that is showing plenty of talent but he will need some luck if he gets a start.				Best Bendigo Times Best Last Sect. Best Sect. Last NBT 23.89 6.60 6.63

2nd Res Race Odds $6.00 Heat Replay	My Kinda Music		Trainer Alan Pringle	Owner J Jones	Prizemoney $33,670.00	Last 10 Starts 1111413182
	29 Months   Black   Bitch   by   El Grand Senor – Ice Dancer Start Good Running Rail Finish Strong Prizemoney Rating $1,871.00 Rating 99		Career Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 18 11 3 1	Strike Rates Win % Place % 61% 83%	Track & Dist. Starts 1st 2nd 3rd 1 0 1 0	Box Record Starts 1st 2nd 3rd N/A N/A N/A N/A
	Comments: Fast bitch who is an each way chance if she gets a run. Performed well at her first look at the track behind fastest heat winner Zipping Snoopy.				Best Bendigo Times Best Last Sect. Best Sect. Last NBT 23.93 6.63 6.63

This is a hard race to pick as the best boxed dog (Pippa Shiraz) is the slowest qualifier. She has only been unplaced once from eight starts from the rails alley. It is always a bonus to lead a Group race as it gives you more of a chance. She will need to lead to factor but given her record from the box she is an each-way chance. In a similar situation is Senor Socks. He recorded 24.06 last week from box eight. He has drawn that box again and the wide alley suits him down to the ground. The trainer of both these greyhounds has stated that the box draw brings these two dogs into the race.

The middle boxes look to hold the key to the race. Fastest heat winner Zipping Snoopy is in box three and next to him in box four is star on the rise, Luca Neveelk. The yellow rug will be donned by White Spyro, who recorded the fastest first section last week and a repeat of that will see her leading again. Luca Neveelk should improve on his run from last week as it was his first race start at the track last week. He has won his last 10 races, which is outstanding for any greyhound and he would not look out of place with a Group win to his name.

Class can never be ignored, so Warrior King, from box seven, has to be given some consideration. He is an experienced Group campaigner and has a flying 23.48 to his credit at the track.

Of the others, Elite Devil loves Bendigo but he has to contend with a tricky box six draw. Flying Bolt, from box two, is unlikely to salute at big odds two weeks in a row.

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