Albion Park greyhound preview and top racing tips | Friday, 7/7/23
Albion Park is set to host 12 star studded races on Friday night from 6:11PM local time. The meeting is headlined by the 2023 group 1 Brisbane Cup Final (520m) where competitors will compete for almost $1 million dollars. Furthermore, the group 1 Queensland Cup Final (710m) as well as two cracking consolations, Mick Byrne Novice Final (520m) and Carnival Masters final (520m).
BEST BET: Panama Pepper (Race 5)
Queensland master trainer Tony Brett was the man of the moment on this night in 2022 and is expected to have another very successful night in 2023. The fifth event is named after him and he appears set to win with his charge, Panama Pepper. The former Western Australian has resided in Tony Brett’s Queensland kennels for just over a month now and has put forward two breathtaking displays. On kennel debut, Panama Pepper showed brilliant acceleration to hold the rails from box one and roar away to score by upwards of six lengths in 29.56. With this, he rocketed to the forefront of Brisbane Cup betting. He started favourite in a heat of the Brisbane Cup last start and failed to get a clear run from a middle draw which ultimately has led to the rising three-year-old ending up in the first of two consolations. The son of Superior Panama has found a very winnable race and draws aptly. He has had seven attempts from box one recording six wins and one placing. Cluster drawn directly outside him has shown a tendency to run wide on turns and Atomic Bill in box three can also veer slightly right. This will leave plenty of room for Panama Pepper to zoom through underneath rivals and rip away down the back on track for a big victory.
Best Bet
Race 5 – 
Panama Pepper (1)
Form: 311714 | Career: 47: 24-9-2 | Trainer: Tony Brett
NEXT BEST: Shipwreck (Race 9)
Shipwreck returns to the longer trip (600m) which could be fortuitous for Ned Snow. The son of Out Of Range has always appeared destined for the 600m and if it wasn’t for a drag down in a heat of the Brisbane Cup last start he might have not seen this trip for another week as he was poised to qualify for the 520m consolation races. In his 54 starts he has only faced the starter over the 600m on two occasions which is almost astounding for a dog of his nature. He has an enormous final split over the 500m and chases very hard amongst packs. In those two starts over this distance, he has smashed the 660m track record at Grafton and ran an unlucky fifth to Bandit Jane in a heat of the Country Classic at Dubbo 605m. The reason why he was unlucky in this affair was that he bumped into Bandit Jane who had broken two track records within the month prior and just missed the Dubbo 605m track record in this heat. Friday’s affair appears well within his grasp with the current favourite Adulate bringing some doubt after an ordinary beginning at box rise last start. Given Shipwreck can get through the first turn cleanly he will prove hard to hold out.
Next Best
Race 9 – 
Shipwreck (4)
Form: 483626 | Career: 54: 15-14-8 | Trainer: Ned Snow
NEXT BEST: Ariarne Bale (Race 6)
The 2023 group 1 Queensland Cup Final brings together an interesting field of stayers. Despite being the slowest qualifier, Ariarne Bale brings plenty of class to the table and should take plenty of improvement. It was a monster training performance from Daniel Gibbons producing the daughter of Feral Franky first up after a 6 week spell in a group 1 heat and winning. Beginning last from box five, the three-year-old was able to use her smarts and find a lovely position going past the winning post the first time. From there, she slowly picked through the field and came home with a staggering run bursting through on the inside of Respectability and roaring away to score by just under four lengths. Not only was her win visually impressive, she did it on the clock too, running home the strongest of any other finalist (13.18). The key to tonight’s race is Locked On Scotch . The John Catton runner was simply breathtaking last week to score on his staying debut and has shown a tendency to crash to the rails. Palawa King is the most talented dog in this race but can mix his performances and is drawn to wear the brunt of Locked On Scotch. Given Ariarne Bale can avoid early trouble and position herself within striking distance, she will finish strongest late in the piece.
Next Best
Race 8 – Ariarne Bale (4)
Form: 654361 | Career: 62: 16-10-8 | Trainer: Daniel Gibbons
