Team Thompson lands Group 1 Temlee trifecta with Tim Zoo
Jason Thompson secured a remarkable trifecta in the Group 1 Temlee at The Meadows as Tim Zoo stormed home to claim victory in a thrilling finish in 29.82.
Heavy bookmaker favourite Flying Zulu looked to have the race won before Tim Zoo unleashed a late charge to snatch victory by a head, while Excavation ensured a clean sweep for Thompson’s kennel, finishing third.
The win marked another milestone for Thompson, solidifying his dominance in major feature races.
Group 1 Temlee Race Replay – Tim Zoo (29.82)
Post-race, Shona Thompson reflected on the stunning victory, revealing that Jason had sensed something special might happen.
“When we were loading the dogs up, Jason said there might be a bit of a smokey tonight. He said, ‘I’ve just got a feeling.’”
That feeling turned into reality as Tim Zoo produced an incredible finish from box seven to steal the race in the final strides.
Claiming the trifecta in a prestigious invitational race like the Temlee is an exceptional achievement, something Shona acknowledged with immense pride.
“You can’t be with a good chance in any race you compete in, let alone a Temlee. You’ve trifected it. That is awesome.”
She recalled a similar feat from years past.
“I think we trifected a Warrnambool Cup many years ago, and our vet actually said to us on Friday, ‘You gotta get the trifecta.’ And we just laughed.”
Tim Zoo’s victory came despite missing out on the ideal box draw.
“The red was boxed perfectly.
He just had to do what he’s been doing.
We thought there was—I think there were three boxes left when the box draw was being done—one, two, seven.
We had two dogs left, and we were hoping for one, two.
We got seven, and he’s still done it from there.”
The victory capped off an incredible start to 2025 for Team Thompson, building on their dominance in 2024.
“An amazing 2024—it was just incredible. And to start off 2025 like this, amazing.”
The family’s passion for the sport shone through as Shona celebrated the success with the many people involved in their kennel.
“I think most of them are here tonight.
We’ve actually got Craig McRae, the coach of Collingwood—he’s in Reaper and he’s here tonight.
I said to him, ‘If the dogs get beat, you can’t come again, but if they win, you have to keep coming.’
So we might have to try and get him here next week too.”
Tim Zoo’s triumph not only secured a major prize but also signalling a strong campaign ahead, with the Australian Cup now firmly on the radar.
“He’s aiming at back-to-back Australian Cups,” Shona confirmed.
The Group 1 win adds to Tim Zoo’s growing legacy, pushing his career record to 22 wins from 46 starts and over $600,000 in prize money.
It was another unforgettable night for Team Thompson, reinforcing their status as one of the most formidable kennels in greyhound racing.
The Meadows The Temlee 2025 Results
2025 Temlee ResultsThe Meadows 525m Group 1 $75,000 to-the-winner Saturday, February 8, 2025
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| 1st |
7 Tim Zoo
T: Jason ThompsonTime: 29.82Margin:
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| 2nd |
1 Flying Zulu
T: Jason ThompsonTime: 29.83Margin: 0.25 Lengths
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| 3rd |
8 Excavation
T: Jason ThompsonTime: 29.89Margin: 1.00 Lengths
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| 4th | |
| 5th |
5 Lakeview Emily
T: Harley WhelanTime: 29.96Margin: 2.25 Lengths
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6th |
4 Vincent Bale
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| 7th |
2 Smooth Plane
T: Thomas DaillyTime: 30.10Margin: 4.25 Lengths
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| 8th |
6 Daysea’s Rory
T: Tom TzouvelisTime: 30.83Margin: 15.25 Lengths
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