Group 3 National Straight Track Championship: 2024 odds, box draw
The final field and box draw for the 2024 Group 3 National Straight Track Championship have been decided, with a NSW greyhound and a Victorian greyhound sharing favouritism at the top of the betting.
Online bookmakers had originally posted Express Ethics alone at the top of the National Straight Track Championship betting markets at +210, but a lack of support for the NSW representative has seen the one-time race favourite drift in betting despite the advantage of box one.
Both Express Ethics and Mile A Minute are now +250 equal favourites to win the 2024 Group 3 National Straight Track Championship final on Saturday morning.
Express Ethics drew the coveted rails draw for the $28,000 to-the-winner final, which was enough for bookmakers to initially post the NSW representative as the favourite for the race.
Express Ethics won through to the Murray Bridge final, finishing second behind Stadiums in the NSW National Straight Track Championship at Richmond.
The David Smith-trained dog has had 27 of his 38 career runs up straight tracks for 12 wins and 10 placings.
The son of Pindari Express and Zippy Ethics will not trial at Murray Bridge prior to the Group 3 final.
Queensland National Straight Track Champion, Hara’s Buddy, will start from box two in Saturday’s rich final.
The Jemma Daley-trained greyhound has been steady at +500 in National Straight Track betting, despite a handy 19.33 solo trial at his first look at the Murray Bridge Straight.
The son of Equalizer and Hara’s Penny has had seven career runs up the straight, all behind the Capalaba drag, for four wins and two seconds.
Murray Bridge Straight 350m Solo Trial – Hara’s Buddy (19.33) T: Jemma Daley
Fellow Queensland finalist, Sheezel, will start from box three up the Murray Bridge Straight final on Saturday.
The Brent Kline-trained greyhound finished a narrow second behind Hara’s Buddy in the QLD National Straight Track Championship at Capalaba, beaten by just 0.10 of a length.
The son of Beast Unleashed and Isla’s Style has campaigned up the straight at 10 of his 43 career starts, all behind the Capalaba drag lure, for five wins and five placings.
Sheezel solo trialled up the Murray Bridge Straight on the same day as Hara’s Buddy and narrowly outpointed that greyhound, running 19.32 ahead of the Group 3 final.
Despite that trial, bookmakers are offering +3300 about Sheezel to win Saturday’s straight track final.
Murray Bridge Straight 350m Solo Trial – Sheezel (19.32) T: Brent Kline
The Victorian National Straight Track Champion, Zipping Gryllis, will start from box four in this week’s Group 3 final.
The Brooke Ennis-trained greyhound won the VIC final at Healesville, beating Mile A Minute by 0.03 of a length.
Zipping Gryllis is an accomplished circle and one-turn greyhound who was a finalist in the 2024 Group 1 Maturity Classic at The Meadows, and was runner-up in the 2024 Group 2 Geelong Gold Cup behind Shima Shadow.
The 33kg black dog has had just four of his 28 career starts up the Healesville straight, with the son of My Redeemer and Zipping Ivy undefeated at that track.
Zipping Gryllis is another that will not be trialled at Murray Bridge prior to the Group 3 final and is currently on the fourth line of betting at +380.
Fellow Victorian representative and equal race favourite, Mile A Minute, will start from box five in the final on Saturday.
Mile A Minute has been kept steady in betting at +250 to win the final, with Express Ethics drifting out to join him as equal favourite at the price with the best greyhound betting sites.
The Jackie Greenough-trained greyhound has had five of his 18 career race starts up the straight, all at Healesville.
Those five Healesville starts behind the rail lure have netted three wins and a second.
Mile A Minute solo trialled up the Murray Bridge Straight on Monday, August 19, running 19.36 at the first look at the track for the son of Superior Panama and Medio Paso.
Murray Bridge Straight 350m Solo Trial – Mile A Minute (19.36) T: Jackie Greenough
Starting from box six in Saturday’s final is 2024 SA National Straight Track Champion, So Be It for SA trainer Bosko Stamenkovic.
Unlike many of the Group 3 finalists, So Be It is a straight track specialist, with all but two of 15 career race starts coming up the Murray Bridge Straight.
Those 13 starts have produced 10 wins and two second placings.
The son of Barcia Bale and Boojerooma has a personal best time of 18.94 up the Murray Bridge Straight over the 350 metre distance, but greyhound betting apps have been prepared to risk his chances, pricing him originally at +1500 before firming slightly into +1100.
Stamenkovic took advantage of conditions on Monday, August 19, to trial So Be It, with the 34kg fawn dog running 19.43.
Murray Bridge Straight 350m Solo Trial – So Be It (19.43) T: Bosko Stamenkovic
The Tracie Price-trained greyhound, Myall Ray, gets a start in the 2024 Group 3 National Straight Track Championship after finishing third in the SA state qualifying final.
Originally destined to be first reserve, Myall Ray gained a start in the $28,000 to-the-winner final after the trainer of NSW Straight Track Champion, Stadiums, declined to travel the greyhound to race in the final.
Myall Ray has had seven of his 22 starts up the straight, with all seven of those runs being at the Murray Bridge Straight track.
With a personal best time of 19.15 over the Murray Bridge Straight 350 distance, the son of Beast Unleashed and Spot On Cinta has a straight track record of two wins and three placings.
Greyhound bookies and punters alike have given Myall Ray a wide berth, with the greyhound quoted as the roughest chance in the race at +5000.
Rounding out the 2024 National Straight Track Championship final field is the 2024 SA National Straight Track Championship runner-up, Cash On Delivery, who will start from box eight.
This Saturday’s final will be Cash On Delivery’s second consecutive National Straight Track Championship final, after finishing last behind Unleash Collinda in the 2023 Group 3 National Straight Track Championship final at Healesville.
In stark contrast to the other two SA representatives, Cash On Delivery has been kept very safe in betting, firming in from +300 to +280.
The Cameron Forshaw-trained dog has had 14 of his 59 career race starts up the straight, with all but one of those straight races at the Murray Bridge Straight.
The son of Zambora Brockie and Shilo has won nine of those 14 straight track starts, running a further four second placings.
Cash On Delivery has a personal best of 18.88 up the Murray Bridge Straight over 350 metres and has started up the straight there three times for two wins and a second.
2024 Group 1 National Straight Track Championship Final
2024 National Straight Track Championship Final Box Draw & Field Murray Bridge Straight 350m $28,000 to-the-winner Saturday morning, August 24, 2024
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1 Express Ethics
T: David Smith F: 4112 Career: 38: 16-9-2 Prizemoney: $32,340 MBS 350m Best: – Straight: 27: 12-8-2
+250
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2 Hara’s Buddy
T: Jemma Daley F: 2111 Career: 21: 10-4-1 Prizemoney: $35,070 MBS 350m Best: 19.33 Straight: 7: 4-2-0
+500
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3 Sheezel
T: Brent Kline F: 1122 Career: 43: 10-9-11 Prizemoney: $34,750 MBS 350m Best: 19.32 Straight: 10: 5-3-2
+3300
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4 Zipping Gryllis
T: Brooke Ennis F: 6111 Career: 28: 13-8-2 Prizemoney: $86,044 MBS 350m Best: – Straight: 4: 4-0-0
+380
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5 Mile A Minute
T: Jackie Greenough F: 1212 Career: 18: 10-3-1 Prizemoney: $25,638 MBS 350m Best: 19.36 Straight: 5: 3-1-0
+250
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6 So Be It
T: Bosko Stamenkovic F: 1111 Career: 15: 12-2-0 Prizemoney: $21,390 MBS 350m Best: 18.94 Straight: 13: 10-2-0
+1100
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7 Myall Ray
T: Tracie Price F: 5323 Career: 22: 10-4-4 Prizemoney: $22,810 MBS 350m Best: 19.15 Straight: 6: 2-1-2
+5000
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8 Cash On Delivery
T: Cameron Forshaw F: 1112 Career: 59: 39-10-5 Prizemoney: $143,360 MBS 350m Best: 18.88 Straight: 14: 9-4-0
+280
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9 Agent Nineteen
T: Ben Rawlings F: 1241 Career: 44: 20-9-3 Prizemoney: $30,045 MBS 350m Best: 19.20 Straight: 7: 2-3-1
+5000
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10 Myall Jack
T: Tracie Price F: 2225 Career: 30: 12-4-3 Prizemoney: $20,725 MBS 350m Best: 19.01 Straight: 18: 8-3-2
+2000
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Odds correct at time of publication