Thursday’s Albion Park greyhound racing tips | June 8, 2023
Albion Park is set to host 12 star-studded races on Thursday night from 6:40pm local time. There's over $400,000 of prize money on the slate with the headline feature races including the Group 3 Dashing Corsair (710m), Group 3 Carnival Chase (600m) and Group 2 Flying Amy Classic (520m).
Best Bet: Mepunga Mustang (Race 2)
Mepunga Mustang has been racing in career-best form and appears well boxed to record his third win in four starts. The three-year-old son of Barcia Bale x Mepunga Molly hails from the very successful Britton kennels in Victoria and had his first start in Queensland last week when third behind Adulate in a heat of the Group 3 Carnival Chase (600m). Jumping from the pink, he was unable to cross and was forced to work throughout, recording a time of 35.21. He will be better for the outing, draws the cherry and drops in grade. This free-for-all contest doesn't have the depth of last week's heat and he should have the speed to kick through and hold off competitors, similar to what he did two starts back when leading all of the way to score in a 600m final at The Meadows.
Best Bet
Race 2 – 
Mepunga Mustang (1)
Form: 7113 | Career: 68: 24-12-5 | Trainer: Jeffrey Britton
Next Best: Atomic Bill (Race 11)
Top trainer Cyndie Elson has a strong hand across the card and has two key chances in the penultimate, with Atomic Bill drawn ideally in the cherry. He gets some much-needed grade relief having raced in open company against Queensland's superstar sprinter Jay Is Jay. He lost no admirers in both races as he battled on gamely and simply just wasn't up to the grade. The map here looks terrific for Atomic Bill with Farmor Power drawn directly outside him. That dog will be fresh off a couple of 431m runs at Ipswich and has shown a tendency to run off early. Expect him to run cover for Atomic Bill, who will only need a touch of luck early to show his devastating turn of speed to lead heading out of the first turn.
Next Best
Race 11 – Atomic Bill (1)
Form: 1334 | Career: 33: 10-10-6 | Trainer: Cyndie Elson
Best Value: First Picked (Race 3)
Easily one of the strongest free-for-all staying contests in recent history, this race has it all with runners from three separate states set to fight out the finish. The key formline has to be the heats of the Group 3 Dashing Corsair (710m), where First Picked was awfully unlucky not to have made the final. The Group 1 WA Galaxy winner drew box two last week and, after beginning on terms, was bumped and subsequently lost at least five lengths. He was forced to build up to top gear and only got warm late when finishing fifth, beaten just four lengths. He has handled wide boxes in the past and has the perfect bunny to follow right inside him. Emerging stayer Zipping Orlando is stepping back up to the staying trip and should have the freshness in his legs to cross, lead and provide the perfect cart for First Picked to sit right on his hammer. Given a clean run to the post the first time, First Picked will be right in this finish at a generous price.
Best Value
Race 3 – 
First Picked (8)
Form: 0125 | Career: 44: 13-6-9 | Trainer: Robert Britton
