Morton reigns supreme, securing spot in Australian Cup Final
Morton, the son of the greyhound Tommy Shelby, displayed his skills with an impressive win, in the semi finals of the Group 1 Australian Cup at The Meadows on Saturday night.
Clocking a 29.53 seconds, Morton achieved a personal best and came close to breaking Allen Deeds long standing track record by just over two lengths. The thrilling race saw Morton take control on grabbing the lead with a first section time of 5.08 seconds.
His strong running and unwavering determination led him to a victory, crossing the finish line six lengths ahead of Alpha Zulu.
This win adds to Mortons track record, making it his 14th victory out of 22 starts and further establishing him as a force to be reckoned with at The Meadows, where he has triumphed in eight out of 12 races.
2024 Australian Cup Semi Final 1 – Morton (29.53 seconds)
While Mortons success grabbed headlines, the other three semi-finals witnessed outcomes as double digit bookmaker underdogs emerged victorious.
The biggest upset occurred when Explicit, the contender, failed to secure a spot in the heat due, to injuries discovered post race—a setback that ended Explicit's chances of winning the prestigious Australian Cup title.
In a turn of events, Fernando Phil, under the guidance of Michelle Mallia, emerged as the winner of the third heat.
2024 Australian Cup Semi Final 3 – Fernando Phil (29.64 seconds)
With a start and an impressive 5.00 second first split, Fernando Phil overtook the favoured Explicit, securing a spot in the final alongside Launch Code.
The second heat saw another upset as the choice at $1.80 Tim Zoo was surpassed by Mepunga Smokey from Jeff Brittons Kennel crossing the finish line first in 29.70 seconds.
2024 Australian Cup Semi Final 2 – Mepunga Sokey (29.70 seconds)
My Magic Man, trained by Jamie and Brooke Ennis, led from start to finish in 30.01 seconds to secure a place in the outshine The Phoenix hero Schillaci.
2024 Australian Cup Semi Final 4 – My Magic Man (30.01 seconds)
Notably, ‘Team Ennis will have two contenders in the Australian Cup final, with G1 Maturity Classic victor Launch Code making it through and coming in second in the Australian Cup Semi Final 3.
With the excitement mounting for the Australian Cup Final week, everyone will be watching Morton, the offspring of a renowned champion, as he strives to follow in his father's footsteps and make his mark in the world of greyhound racing.