Group 1 National Distance Championship: 2024 final, odds, box draw
The final field and box draw for the 2024 Group 1 National Distance Championship have been decided, with Queensland’s staying queen and two-time Group 1 winner, Valpolicella, emerging as the race favourite even after drawing box six.
Despite seemingly having been at the top of the Australian staying scene for a prolonged period of time, the Tony Zammit-trained bitch did not contest last year’s QLD National Distance Championship as she only made the progression to staying after the series in mid-August.
Australia’s top greyhound betting sites have posted Valpolicella as a +250 chance to win her third Group 1 race on Saturday night at Angle Park.
One of two local South Australian (SA) stayers in this year’s National Distance Championship, Zipping Neutron, drew box one in the final to continue his good run of luck.
Zipping Neutron was only able to take his place in the final field after the 2024 NZ National Distance Champion Know Defence was unable to travel to SA to race due to air-freight travel bans.
The Tim Aloisi-trained dog finished second in the 2024 SA National Distance Championship, beaten 14.75 lengths by Zinfandel Trace.
Zipping Neutron will be racing in his second Group 1 National Distance Championship final after finishing sixth behind Palawa King in the 2023 final at The Meadows.
The son of SH Avatar and Zipping Baby has won 31 of his 38 career wins over the staying trips and has a personal best of 42.59 over the Angle Park 730 metres.
He trialled box-to-box out of the 730 metre boxes on Sunday morning, August 18, with splits of 4.30, 15.99, 29.50.
Zipping Neutron is quoted as the roughest chance in the final, along with fellow SA stayer Zinfandel Trace, with both quoted as +1400 chances with online bookmakers to take out the race.
West Australian (WA) National Distance Champion West On Boonie has drawn box two for the $85,000 to-the-winner final.
The Chris Halse trained stayer trialled box-to-box at Angle Park out of the 730 metre boxes on Sunday morning, August 18, with splits of 4.27, 15.82, 29.29.
The Group 1 Galaxy winner is currently on the third line of betting on greyhound betting apps priced at +380.
West On Boonie has only raced four times over the staying journey for three wins, all in the best of the night.
NSW stayer Fahey’s Magic comes into the 2024 National Distance final as the highest ranked wildcard staying greyhound, as decided by Greyhound Clubs Australia (GCA).
Fahey’s Magic finished fourth in the NSW National Distance Championship, beaten 9.25 lengths by Ritza Piper.
The 2024 Group 1 Golden Sands winner over 600 metres at Albion Park, has had seven starts over staying distances for one win and five placings, including a narrow second to Exploded in the recent Group 1 Queensland Cup at Albion Park.
Greyhound bookmakers have Fahey’s Magic on the second last line of greyhound betting for the final, quoted at +800.
The Tyson Barton-trained bitch has had the benefit of a look at the Angle Park circuit, clocking 34.50 on Monday night, August 19, between races.
Angle Park 595m Solo Trial – Fahey’s Magic (34.50) T: Tyson Barton
2024 National Distance Championship final second favourite and VIC National Distance Champion, Aunt Virginia, will start the Group 1 final on Saturday night from box four.
The John Paraskevas-trained greyhound has only had four staying starts for two wins and two placings, including a third in the 2024 Group 3 Fireball at The Meadows last month.
The top online greyhound bookies have kept Aunt Virginia very safe in betting, listing her as the +270 second favourite.
The daughter of Fernando Bale and Quena Dee Air clocked a very quick 34.02 at her first look at Angle Park trialling solo over 595m between races on Monday night, August 19.
Angle Park 595m Solo Trial – Aunt Virginia (34.02) T: John Paraskevas
The 2024 SA National Distance Champion, Zinfandel Trace, will start the National final from box five for local trainer Gavin Harris.
The most inexperienced greyhound in this year’s Group 1 final, Zinfandel Trace, has had just one staying start for her win in the state qualifying final, running 43.10 when winning by more than 14 lengths.
The black bitch has never been unplaced, winning seven of her 10 career starts and running a further three second placings.
Zinfandel Trace proved she is a stayer with plenty of upside, improving on her 43.10 Angle Park 730 metre debut win, with a 42.85 solo trial between races on Saturday morning, August 17.
Despite the potential, bookmakers are offering +1400 about the daughter of Barcia Bale and Zinfandel Zara to win the final.
Angle Park 730m Solo Trial – Zinfandel Trace (42.85) T: Gavin Harris
Arguably Australia’s best stayer, Valpolicella, will start from box six in the Group 1 final for trainer Tony Zammit, and NSW-based owner Sandro Bechini.
The winner of the 2024 Group 1 Zoom Top at The Meadows, and the 2024 Group 1 Gold Cup at Albion Park, will push her earnings past $1.1 million if she successfully wins her third Group 1 on Saturday night.
The daughter of Shima Shine and Saldana has had 35 career starts over staying distances for 21 wins and 10 placings.
Not surprisingly, Valpolicella is the National Distance Championship race favourite, priced at +250 to win the Angle Park 730 metre final.
Valpolicella had her first look at Angle Park on Thursday night, August 15, solo trialling between races and clocking 42.97 for the 730 metre trip.
Angle Park 730m Solo Trial – Valpolicella (42.97) T: Tony Zammit
NSW National Distance Champion, Ritza Piper, will start from box seven in this year’s final for NSW trainer Joe Scerri.
The 2023 Group 1 Topgun Stayers winner at The Meadows won the NSW Championship at only her fifth start since recovering from a fall in the 2024 Group 1 Sandown Cup.
The daughter of Ritza Lenny and Ritza Vonnie has started over the staying distances in 38 of her 53 career starts, winning 13 of those races and running a further 15 placings.
Joe Scerri elected to trial Ritza Piper box-to-box at Angle Park out of the 730 metre boxes on Sunday morning, August 18, with splits of 4.28, 16.07, 29.47.
Ritza Piper is on the equal fourth line of betting with betting sites, quoted as a +500 chance to win the $85,000 to-the-winner final.
Sharing the same greyhound betting odds to win the 2024 Group 1 final is the Tasmanian National Distance Champion, Raider’s Guide, for trainer Gary Fahey.
Raider’s Guide will be looking to win his 15th race from his last 18 starts on Saturday night at Angle Park.
The Tasmanian winning machine is the 2024 Group 1 Rookie Rebel winner at The Meadows over 600m and amazingly contested last year’s Group 1 National Sprint Championship at The Meadows, finishing fifth behind Saige Tenniele.
Raider’s Guide has had just six career starts over the staying trip for four wins, with one of those wins being a three-length win over Ritza Piper in a heat of The 715 at The Gardens in April, 2024.
Both of Raider’s Guide’s unplaced staying runs have been in races won by Valpolicella.
Raider’s Guide solo trialled around Angle Park over the 595 journey in 33.86 on Wednesday night, August 14.
Angle Park 595m Solo Trial – Raider’s Guide (33.86) T: Gary Fahey
2024 Group 1 National Distance Championship Final
2024 National Distance Championship Final Box Draw & Field Angle Park 730m $85,000 to-the-winner Saturday, August 24, 2024
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1 Zipping Neutron
T: Tim Aloisi F: 3222 Career: 82: 38-12-10 Prizemoney: $215,455 A/Park Best: 42.59 Staying: 38: 31-8-4
+1400
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2 West On Boonie
T: Chris Halse F: 2411 Career: 42: 18-9-4 Prizemoney: $349,645 A/Park Best: 29.29 (B2B 730m) Staying: 4: 3-0-0
+380
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3 Fahey’s Magic
T: Tyson Barton F: 2224 Career: 52: 21-15-5 Prizemoney: $352,365 A/Park Best: 34.50 (595m) Staying: 7: 1-5-0
+800
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4 Aunt Virginia
T: John Paraskevas F: 2311 Career: 30: 19-3-3 Prizemoney: $118,648 A/Park Best: 34.02 (595m) Staying: 4: 2-1-1
+270
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5 Zinfandel Trace
T: Gavin Harris F: 2111 Career: 10: 7-3-0 Prizemoney: $53,160 A/ParkBest: 42.85 Staying: 1: 1-0-0
+1400
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6 Valpolicella
T: Tony Zammit F: 1711 Career: 59: 32-8-11 Prizemoney: $1,046,838 A/Park Best: 42.97 Staying: 35: 21-2-8
+250
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7 Ritza Piper
T: Joe Scerri F: 1121 Career: 53: 19-13-6 Prizemoney: $368,120 A/Park Best: 29.47 (B2B 730m) Staying: 38: 13-11-4
+500
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8 Raider’s Guide
T: Gary Fahey F: 1111 Career: 61: 33-13-3 Prizemoney: $301,200 A/Park Best: 33.86 (595m) Staying: 6: 4-0-0
+500
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9 Just Alfie
T: Lauren Harris F: 1263 Career: 29: 9-5-6 Prizemoney: $20,665 A/Park Best: 44.15 Staying: 2: 0-0-1
+10000
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10 Dishonest
T: Cameron Forshaw F: 5244 Career: 46: 7-8-9 Prizemoney: $22,925 A/Park Best: 43.07 Staying: 9: 0-3-1
+10000
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Odds correct at time of publication