It is the richest greyhound race in the world and it is final time. Friday night at 8.27pm at the Grand Old Lady of greyhound racing – Wentworth Park – the 2023 Million Dollar Chase winner will be crowned. Will it be a Fairy Tale winner? Will the title head North to Queensland, South to Victoria or in an Australian Group 1 race first will the title be heading Across the Ditch to NZ?
Here is AustralianRacingGreyhound’s Million Dollar Chase runner by runner preview and tips for the final.
BOX 1: Cumbria Kid
Form: 24131 | Career: 68 17-10-13 | Trainer: Stephen Fitch
This boy did a wonderful job coming off the reserve bench to gain a start in the semi-final and then showed what he could do with a few rail runs, going 29.84. He kept grinding along the dulux to finish better than Idolize and book his shot at immortality. This is another step up in class, but fairytales do sometimes come true, and the box draw gives him a genuine shot if there is trouble ahead of him. Has had 16 starts from the inside box for six wins and six placings and is four wins from 19 starts here at Wenty.
Wentworth Park Million Dollar Chase Semi Final 8 061023 Race 10 Cumbri Kid 29.84
This Queenslander was the fastest semi-final winner at 29.45. He had the same box in the semi as he does in the final, which will definitely help. He didn’t begin all that well in the semi, which is a concern, but once he wound up, he used the inside draw to perfection. He should get good room again early, with the red dog being a moderate beginner, and with luck, he should get full use of the fence early. He has six wins and a second from box 2, and two wins from three here at Wenty. Will battle for favouritism with Postman Pat but may be vulnerable early.
Wentworth Park Million Dollar Chase Semi Final 3 061023 Race 5 Jay Is Jay 29.45
This talented Kiwi won 10 of his first 13 races over the ditch, running 2nd in the other three before heading to the Thompson kennel in Victoria. He has since taken his record to 22 wins from 30 starts and has five placings as well. He has the fastest first section of any dog in the race, and that often wins these races at Wentworth Park. His first section was 1.5 lengths quicker than his main rival, Jay is Jay and if those times hold, he will be crossing in front of the two dogs drawn inside him, which will make him extremely hard to beat. He was the pre-Million Dollar Chase favourite and has a good chance of starting as the bookmaker favourite, but can he deliver?
Wentworth Park Million Dollar Chase Semi Final 6 061023 Race 8 Postman Pat 29.58
BOX 4: Bella Una
Form: 63421 | Career: 21 7-5-3 | Trainer: Raymond Smith
Another of the reserve semi-finalists saluted at big odds. She showed tremendous track nous after getting checked early on in running. She then zipped back to the fence and avoid the trouble at the first turn before niftily moving around the outside of the tiring Remember This to clinch her semi. She would have to improve on her personal best time to worry this field, but if there is trouble again, she is the smartest girl in the field. From her nine visits here at Wenty, she is 3-3-2 and has never missed a place from box four. Maybe worth a sneaky one-way ticket at massive odds.
Wentworth Park Million Dollar Chase Semi Final 1 061023 Race 3 Bella Una 29.70
BOX 5: Has Ability
Form: 21111 | Career: 27 8-10-3 | Trainer: Stuart Hazlett
Has Ability was another that did an amazing job of using his inside box to perfection in the heats. He did an amazing job of running down two of the quickest greyhounds in training and posted a very handy 29.8 to boot. He has come up with a horror draw and will need all sorts of luck to feature. Has had 13 starts here for four wins and three placings and no wins off box five. Will need to begin better or may end up right in the middle of the scrum. Yet here he is in the final with a puncher’s chance.
Wentworth Park Million Dollar Chase Semi Final 2 061023 Race 4 Has Ability 29.81
This Victorian had every excuse to miss the final but showed just how serious a race dog he is in the semi. He was checked early pushed 20 dogs wide at the first turn and then zoomed down onto the rails to duck under some very smart greyhounds and record a last to first win which is not something we see often at Wenty park in big races. He will need ample luck again from a horrible draw but has the strength and smarts to feature at massive odds.
Wentworth Park Million Dollar Chase Semi Final 7 061023 Race 9 Tinker Norm 29.96
BOX 7: One Hot Bandit
Form: 32131 | Career: 19 11-1-4 | Trainer: Andy Lord
Another reserve to win their semi-final and this time he was the 2nd reserve. He was also another that used the rails perfectly to find his way through the field after a tardy start. The fact he was able to give such a good dog in Magistrate a start and a beating speaks volumes to his talent. He is drawn awfully out in box seven and he will need lots of luck to get an early position in this field. Has won 10 from 15 here at Wenty and 11 from 19 overall so must still be a rough chance.
Wentworth Park Million Dollar Chase Semi Final 4 061023 Race 6 One Hot Bandit 29.64
BOX 8: Yachi Bale
Form: 52521 | Career: 49 12-16-7 | Trainer: Mark Delbridge
Another Victorian who punched his ticket to the final curtesy of a gutsy if somewhat lucky win in his semi-final. He began ok and then went very wide at the first turn before rounding them up in them last stride. His 29.9 time would not be good enough to win the final but box eight might not be that bad even considering he is none from six from the outside box. Will be double figure odds and will need luck
Wentworth Park Million Dollar Chase Semi Final 5 061023 Race 7 Yachi Bale 29.98
2023 Million Dollar Chase prediction
Here is our free Million Dollar Chase winner prediction and best bet: