2023 Group 2 Flying Amy Classic looks to be best ever edition of the greyhound race series
The greyhound racing scene in Queensland is sizzling as the Queensland Winter Carnival shifts into high gear with seven thrilling heats of the Group 2 Flying Amy Classic scheduled for Albion Park this Thursday evening (tonight).
The Flying Amy Classic has a rich history that can be traced back to 1985 when it was first held as the Queensland Puppy Classic at the Gabba.
It was renamed in 1999 to honour the champion greyhound, Flying Amy, who was twice named Queensland Greyhound of the Year in 1994 and 1995.
This year, the age-restricted race boasts a substantial prize pool of $225,000, with $150,000 going to the winner.
Attracting a competitive field of young greyhounds from across the nation, the Classic has seen champions such as Jungle Deuce (2021), Feral Franky (2019), and He Knows Uno (2011) claim victory in the past.
The anticipation is palpable as Albion Park prepares to host twelve top-notch races this Thursday night.
The seven heats of the 2023 Group 2 Flying Amy Classic heats will be races two to eight inclusive on tonight's Albion Park program.
The evening's program kicks off with a Brisbane Cup Prelude, a newly introduced event designed to be part of the lead-up for the Brisbane Cup, with the first-place prize set at $16,000.
Following the Flying Amy Classic heats, races nine to 12 inclusive will be the four heats of the 2023 Group 3 Carnival Chase over the middle distance (600m).
An impressive Victorian-trained team of greyhounds has ventured North to try and claim the Flying Any Classic, led by the promising youngster Alpha Zulu.
The team boasts both quality and quantity, making them a formidable force to be reckoned with.
Fifteen Victorian's are set to compete in the seven Flying Amy heats.
Additionally, 12 middle distance performers from Victoria have made their way up north to participate in the 2023 Group 3 Carnival Chase heats.
The Victorian Flying Amy Classic contingent will be headed by Alpha Zulu, trained by well-known greyhound trainer Jason Thompson, who is no stranger to feature race success in Queensland.
Thompson has previously won the Group 1 Brisbane Cup five times.
Alpha Zulu will be sent out as the +105 favourite on greyhound betting apps for Heat 4 of the Flying Amy (race 5), starting from box seven.
Greyhound bookmakers have Alpha Zulu on the second line of the ‘all in' greyhound betting odds at +700 to win the final.
South Australian (SA) star, and recent 2023 Group 3 Howard Ashton winner, Victa Damian, remains the top pick to win next week's lucrative final at greyhound betting odds of +300 in pre-post betting.
Heat 1 (race 2) of the 2023 Flying Amy Classic will feature Victorian greyhound Elite Alex, trained by Mark Delbridge.
Elite Alex is will be venturing North to Albion Park coming off a winning last start double, having won both his last two starts at The Meadows in free-for-all company.
He will start +190 second favourite behind +160 New South Wales (NSW) greyhound Rocket Riot, who has won six of his seven career starts for trainer Peter Lagogiane, including best-of-the-night wins at Richmond, Gosford, and Wentworth Park (29.63).
Heat 2 (race 3) of the classic will see Angle Park 530m track record holder and series favourite, Victa Damian, starting prohibitive -250 odds from box one against Victorian greyhounds Aston Costello, Canya Exceed and Crackerjack Bull.
Heat 3 (race 4) will see Victorian Trooper Tears, the 2023 Group 3 Launching Pad winner trained by Robert Britton, take to the track as a +100 favourite against local talent Magistrate from box one.
NSW chasers Nangar Nellie (Dennis Barnes) and Zipping Rousey (John Finn), as well as fellow Victorian greyhound Dundee Rebel (Geoff Scott-Smith) will provide stern opposition.
Alpha Zulu gets his chance to qualify for the $150,000-to-the-winner final in the fourth heat (race 5) of this years classic at +105 with greyhound betting sites, but will have to contend with West Australian (WA) visitor Custard Monelli (+290) who has drawn box one, NSW greyhound Royal Nangar, and fellow Victorian greyhound Dundee Smokey.
Alpha Zulu, the son of Orson Allen and Cyclone Jebel, will not reach the age of two until September, but already has an impressive record of five victories from seven starts, including wins in his past two races at The Meadows in 29.66 and 29.71.
In the fifth heat (race 6) Victorian greyhound trainer Steve White will start Professor Snitch as a -105.26 favourite from box one, up against flying last-start Wentworth Park 29.45 winner Zipping Remus, trained by John Finn; Trooper Tears' litter brother Trapper Tears for Rob Britton, and WA's Pudding Monelli.
Professor Snitch is owned by local Queensland mother and daughter team, Arlene Roy and Vanessa Heather, who trained the dog to win on debut at Albion Park in February 2023 before being sent to Victoria to current trainer Steve White.
Professor Snitch returns to Albion Park tonight having been unbeaten in three starts in Victoria, including his past two wins in best-of-the-night times at Warragul.
Race 7 on tonight's Albion Park program is the sixth heat of the Flying Amy Classic, and will see last start 2023 Group 2 WA Derby winner Crumble Monelli priced as a +130 favourite, to beat SA's recent Group 3 Howard Ashton runner-up, Live It (+7000), for Tony Rasmussen.
Victorian greyhounds Umberto (+145) for Jason Thompson, Crackerjack Aret (+655) for Jordan Cooper, and Just Vic (+700) for Jeff Britton, round out the best chances of the rest based on greyhound betting in heat 6.
Umberto has trialled at Albion Park in preparation for tonight's race and clocked 29.85 seconds last week.
The Jason Thompson-trained Stealth will be the third of Thompson's chances in this years Flying Amy Classic in heat 7 (race 8), and is also considered a strong contender priced as favourite at odds of +300 in a wide open race from box six..
Stealth will have to beat SA greyhound Victa Alby, and NSW greyhounds Mia She's Fast (Frank Hurst), Nad Al Sheba (Peter Lagogiane), and Nangar Larry (Ann Barnes) to qualify for next week's Group 2 final.
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