Hobart Thousand intense competition: Got Attitude and Rojo Diamond lead the charge
The Jason Thompson-trained Got Attitude led the Victorian raid on the 2023 Group 1 Hobart Thousand heats on Thursday night, but local hope, the Robin Grubb-trained Rojo Diamond, has laid down the gauntlet to the interstate raiders.
Six heats of the time-honoured Group 1 Hobart race were run on December 7, 2023, with no less than 10 Victorian greyhounds making the trek across the Tasman to attempt to win the $100,000 to-the-winner final.
The Hobart 1000 is the oldest feature race final in Australia, it was first run as the Hobart Cup at the old Tasmanian Cricket Association (TCA) circuit in 1935.
Since the move to the Elwick track in 2006, just one Tasmanian greyhound has been able to successfully withstand the raiding greyhounds from interstate and overseas.
Little Spaniard is the only local champion to secure the feature Tasmanian greyhound race when successful for Tasmanian trainer Mick Stringer in 2008.
In the 17 runnings of the Hobart Thousand at the modern track, Victorian-trained greyhounds have won the race 15 times.
The second locally trained greyhound to win the Hobart Thousand was Queensland visitor and straight track champion Leeroy Rogue, who won the race in 2018 under the guidance of Tasmanian trainer Debbie Cannan.
After the six heats of the 2023 series were run and won on Thursday night, five Victorian greyhounds were left still in contention, with three local greyhounds standing between them and victory.
The quickest qualifier from the interstate raiders was the Jason Thompson-trained Got Attitude, who trailed early leader and fellow Victorian greyhound Fire Hose before assuming a rails run and going on to win the last of the six Hobart Thousand heats in 25.65.
Local greyhound Ducati Roy ran on well to be in second, heading in to the home straight, and hung on late to also make Thursday night's Group 1 final.
2023 Group 1 Hobart Thousand Heat 6 – Got Attitude (25.65) T: Jason Thompson
Got Attitude has twice raced in black-type greyhound racing company before, finishing runner-up on both occasions in the 2023 Listed Pink Diamond Rookie Sprint at Warragul over 400m and the 2023 Listed Prospector over 425m at Bendigo.
The son of Bernardo and Sunset Senorita has had 31 starts for 14 wins and 12 placings and has drawn the coveted rails alley for the Hobart Thousand final.
Greyhound betting sites have posted Got Attitude as the +220 race favourite to win the final.
Trainer Jason Thompson will be looking to win his third Group 1 Hobart Thousand title after winning with Hooked On Scotch in 2019 in race record time of 25.49, and with Aussie Secret in 2021.
Got Attitude is owned and bred by Robert Bean, who knows what it takes to win a Hobart Thousand, having bred and owned 2021 victor, Aussie Secret, for the same trainer.
Got Attitude and Aussie Secret hail from the same damline and share the same granddam, Sunset Sky, who is a daughter of Bogie Skye, bred by legendary Queensland breeder Les Bein, of Bogie Leigh fame.
Ducati Roy, trained by Michael Sherriff, has had 25 starts for 12 wins and six minor placings and will be looking for his first group racing title in the final after finishing unplaced in the 2023 Group 3 Warragul St Leger behind Professor Snitch.
Local hope Rojo Diamond was the quickest of the 2023 Group 1 Hobart Thousand finalists, winning in a best of night 25.58 after overcoming the box four draw in his heat.
Rojo Diamond was able to offset the draw with good early pace that allowed the son of Fabregas and Sing The Song to comfortably set up a race-winning break, before holding off a late finish from fellow 2023 Hobart Thousand finalist Crackerjack Aret.
2023 Group 1 Hobart Thousand Heat 2 – Rojo Diamond (25.58) T: Robin Grubb
Rojo Diamond will be looking to improve upon his third placing in last year's Group 1 Hobart Thousand final behind Fernando Mick.
The Robin Grubb-trained Tasmanian greyhound has had 68 starts for 37 wins and 18 placings, with 24 of those wins coming on the Hobart greyhound track.
In addition to last year's placing, Rojo Diamond has made the final of the 2021 Breeders Classic at Launceston, won the 2022 Group 3 Devonport Chase held at Hobart, and finished just behind the placegetters in the 2023 Group 2 Launceston Cup.
Rojo Diamond has been priced as the 2023 Group 1 Hobart Thousand final second favourite having drawn box eight for the race, from where the black dog has won seven of 12 starts and has never been unplaced.
From box eight at Hobart, Rojo Diamond has won six of his nine starts in the pink rug.
Crackerjack Aret is one of two finalists for Victorian greyhound trainer Jordan Cooper, who qualified litter brothers through to the Group 1 final.
Crackerjack Aret has been well-traveled, chasing group greyhound racing riches, campaigning in Queensland and New South Wales in 2023 in addition to racing in Victoria.
The son of Fernando Bale and Maximum Kack made the final of the 2023 Group 2 Warrnambool Cup, finishing seventh behind Kelsey Bale.
Crackerjack Aret has had 43 starts for 13 wins and seven minor placings, earning connections $71,290 in prizemoney.
The red fawn dog will start from box six in the final, the only box draw from which he has never won.
Shima Shadow took out heat five of the 2023 Hobart Thousand series after being clearly last away from the boxes.
The Victorian-trained greyhound had to make full use of his abundant talent to overcome the tardy getaway and circle the field to assume the lead entering the home straight before doing enough late to win by 1.5 lengths in 25.72
2023 Group 1 Hobart Thousand Heat 5 – Shima Shadow (25.72) T: Tom Dailly
Shima Shadow made the finals of the 2023 Group 2 Ballarat Cup, and the 2023 Bendigo Cup, finishing unplaced in both runs.
The son of Bernardo and Shima Song also made the final of the Listed Pink Diamond Sprinters at Warragul finishing fourth.
The Tom Dailly-trained greyhound has won 16 of 37 starts, finished in the placings a further nine times, earning connections $100,765 in prizemoney.
Shima Shadow is bound to improve enormously in the final with the benefit of a look at the track, and a better getaway could see the black dog in contention to provide the Dailly camp with their first Hobart Thousand victory.
Tasmanian greyhound Law Raine was the next quickest heat winner, winning the opening heat of the series in 25.77 after pinging the lids from box eight to lead all the way.
The Debbie Cannan-trained greyhound went so quick early that she led by three-to-four lengths heading into the home corner and did enough to hold the lead down to the line.
2023 Group 1 Hobart Thousand Heat 1 – Law Raine (25.77) T: Debbie Cannan
Law Raine, who will be the only female greyhound in Thursday night's Group 1 final, has had 37 starts for 13 wins and 16 minor placings, earning connections $45,255 in prizemoney.
The 2023 Hobart Thousand final will be her first group racing final, where she has drawn box four.
If she were to be successful in the 2023 final, the win would give trainer Cannan her second Hobart Thousand title after winning with Leeroy Rogue in 2018.
Former Queenslander, and now Victorian-trained greyhound, Starline Express, was the next quickest Hobart Thousand heat winner, running 25.78 winning heat four of the series.
The Dave Geall-trained dog was away from the boxes fairly before accelerating hard to take the lead after 100m.
Despite getting tired in the run to the line, Starline Express did enough to win the heat by 1.5 lengths, and is bound to be improved for the run.
2023 Group 1 Hobart Thousand Heat 4 – Starline Express (25.78) T: Dave Geall
Starline Express was the 2023 Group 1 National Derby (Wentworth Park, 520m) runner-up, was second in the 2023 Group 3 Grafton Cup, and also made the finals of both the 2023 Group 3 Launching Pad at Sandown, and the 2023 Group 2 Queensland Derby at Albion Park.
The son of Fernando Bale and Spooky Sensation has had 28 starts for 12 wins and 10 placings.
The stunning 30kg white and red fawn dog has drawn box two for the final and will be looking to give trainer Dave Geall back-to-back Hobart Thousand victories after winning the race for the first time last year with Fernando Mick.
Greyhound bookmakers have quoted Starline Express a +600 chance to win the Group 1 final.
Crackerjack Aret's litter brother, Crackerjack Bull, was the slowest of the Hobart Thousand heat winners, making Victorian trainer Jordan Cooper the only greyhound trainer with two hopes in the $100,000 to-the-winner final.
Crackerjack Bull was last away from the boxes and was run off the track when trouble occurred in front of him in the run.
But the 2023 Group 3 Cup Night Sprint winner was able to overcome the trouble, taking the lead into the home straight and going on to score by 1.75 lengths over Unleash Collinda.
2023 Group 1 Hobart Thousand Heat 3 – Crackerjack Bull (26.01) T: Jordan Cooper
Crackerjack Bull has had a good 2023, running third in the Group 2 Warrnambool Cup, and making the finals of the Group 2 Geelong Gold Cup, the Group 1 Adelaide Cup, and the listed Pink Diamond Sprinter at Warragul.
The 30kg blue fawn dog has won 17 of 37 starts and run a further seven placings, earning connections $110,575 in prizemoney.
Crackerjack Bull has drawn box three for Thursday night's final, and greyhound betting apps are betting +550 about his chances from the draw, where he has won just once in six starts.
The box draw for the 2023 Group 1 Hobart Thousand final was done on Saturday night at Elwick Racecourse and has delivered a highly anticipated final, with interstate raider Got Attitude and local hero Rojo Diamond boxed to get every chance.
2023 Hobart Thousand
2023 Hobart 1000 Box Draw & FieldHobart461m Group 1 $100,000 to-the-winnerThursday, December 14, 2023
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1 Got Attitude
T: Jason ThompsonF: 2211Career: 31: 14-7-5Prizemoney: $62,769
+220
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2 Starline Express
T: Dave Geall F: 3681Career: 28: 12-9-1Prizemoney: $116,300
+600
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3 Crackerjack Bull
T: Jordan Cooper F: 1511Career: 37: 17-4-3Prizemoney: $110,575
+550
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4 Law Raine
T: Debbie CannanF: 4231Career: 37: 13-9-7Prizemoney: $45,225
+2000
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5 Shima Shadow
T: Tom Dailly F: 3131Career: 37: 16-3-6Prizemoney: $100,765
+550
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6 Crackerjack Aret
T: Jordan Cooper F: 6712Career: 43: 13-5-2Prizemoney: $71,290
+700
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7 Ducati Roy
T: Michael Sherriff F: 1262Career: 20: 12-5-1Prizemoney: $58,805
+1400
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8 Rojo Diamond
T: Robin Grubb F: 2111Career: 68: 37-13-5Prizemoney: $188,830
+230
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| Reserves | |
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9 Rojo Boloney
T: Joshua Wright F: 6562Career: 37: 7-2-11Prizemoney: $25,223
+2000
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10 Power Band
T: Ted Medhurst F: 4372Career: 34: 10-6-6Prizemoney: $50,380
+2000
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Odds correct at time of publication