Kruger Lass wins Broken Hill Million Dollar Chase Regional Final
Unheralded Victorian-trained greyhound Kruger Lass upset her more fancied fellow interstate raiders to win the Broken Hill regional qualifying final of the 2023 Million Dollar Chase (MDC).
Trained at Mildura by Brownwyn Welsh, Kruger Lass was totally unwanted in betting in the $7,000-to-the-winner final, paying +2500 with greyhound bookmakers.
The Broken Hill MDC regional final saw the lone local greyhound, Who Knows Lyn, take on two South Australian greyhounds and five Victorian-trained greyhounds, including the Rob Britton-trained pair of Trooper Tears and Trappers Tears; the Mark Delbridge-trained duo of 2022 Group 1 placed Landyn Bale; and Group 2 McKenna Memorial placed Ailee Bale.
Of the five Victorian greyhounds engaged in the final, Kruger Lass was the least credentialed and the longest priced runner of the Southern raiders.
Kruger Lass made the final by finishing third behind Who Knows Lyn in one of the only two Million Dollar Chase heats held at Broken Hill.
The daughter of Aston Kimetto and Shot Thru produced a withering run from the back to qualify through the heats, and again, it was another hard-finishing burst from the back of the field that allowed Kruger Lass to claim the final from her more popular rivals.
With Trooper Tears and Trapper Tears failing to make an impression on the race, the +110 race favourite trained by Mark Delbridge, Landyn Bale, hit the lead around the home corner and looked the winner.
But Kruger Lass had already made up around six lengths in the run and, with momentum, swept past the Group 1-placed greyhound to go on and win by 1.25 lengths in 30.52.
Landyn Bale held on for second, while kennelmate Ailee Bale ran on for third.
2023 Broken Hill MDC Regional Final – Kruger Lass (30.52) T: Brownwyn Welsh
Kruger Lass, who has had 58 career starts for 17 wins and 24 placings, has raced in three states, and is an Angle Park metropolitan winner over the 730m staying trip.
She was a Victorian metropolitan maiden winner when she won at The Meadows in 2021, running 30.63 when trained by Matt Lanigan.
All three of the Victorian greyhounds that were first across the line qualify directly for the Million Dollar Chase semi-finals at Wentworth Park on October 6.
The will join the qualifiers from the four previous qualifying races, and Nangar Rocket, Total Glamour, and Spring Elegance who qualified through the Dubbo MDC regional final on Saturday.
With six Million Dollar Chase qualifying races concluded, NSW-trained greyhounds are in danger of being in the minority of the MDC sem-finalist contenders with nine of the 19 greyhounds now from interstate.
The MDC semi-finals will be held at Wentworth Park on October 6, with the $1,000,000 to-the-winner final run a week later.
The MDC race series now moves on to regional finals at Maitland today (Monday), and Bulli on Tuesday.
Temora greyhounds will hold two Million Dollar Chase regional heats today (Monday) over the 457m distance.
You can read the full Million Dollar Chase series schedule here: 2023 Million Dollar Chase Schedule
2023 Million Dollar Chase Semi Finalists
- Saige Tenniele T: Kody Charles (WA)
- Aussie Rocks T: Geoff Mitchell (VIC)
- Tinker Norm T: Craig Burns (VIC)
- Postman Pat T: Jason Thompson (VIC/NZ)
2023 National Sprint Championship
- Fire Hose T: Dave Geall (VIC)
- Time Chariot T: Glen Summerfield (NSW)
- Taw Commander T: Andrew Rhodes (NSW)
Goulburn Regional MDC Final
- Nora's Boy T: Shaun Guthrie (NSW)
- Sunshine Lily T: Mitchell Jobson (NSW)
- Weffalee Shield T: Tony Forbes (NSW)
Taree Regional MDC Final
- Umberto T: Jason Thompson (VIC)
- Mortified T: Chris O'Brien (NSW)
- Remember This T: Vic Sultana (NSW)
Group 1 Dapto Megastar
- Nangar Rocket T: Dennis Barnes (NSW)
- Total Glamour T: Leighton Winter (NSW)
- Spring Elegance T: Joshua Board (NSW)
Dubbo Regional MDC Final
- Kruger Lass T: Bronwyn Welsh (VIC)
- Landyn Bale T: Mark Delbridge (VIC)
- Ailee Bale T: Mark Delbridge (VIC)