Valhalla claims Queensland’s straight track crown with Capalaba Cup win
Valhalla strengthened his reputation as one of Australia's best straight track greyhounds, taking out the $75,000-to-the-winner Group 2 Capalaba Cup on Sunday afternoon.
Trained by Tom Tzouvelis, he was sent to the boxes as a +230 chance in the 366m final with greyhound betting sites.
All Lies Ahead was sent to the boxes as the +210 race favourite from box eight.
At box rise, the race favourite got out fast to lead from the wide alley, with last week's impressive heat winner, Tira Mira, moving up to second in the initial stages.
But Valhalla was having none of it, storming down the middle of the straight to beat home All Lies Ahead by 2.75 lengths in 19.27, with Top Gun finishing back in third place.
2023 Capalaba Cup Final (366m) – Valhalla (19.27) T: Tom Tzouvelis
It was the second consecutive time in as many weeks that Valhalla beat All Lies Ahead, after taking out his Capalaba Cup heat over the same dog.
Through his 30 start career, Valhalla has had 14 starts over the 520m trip across the Ipswich and Albion Park tracks, but it is the straight at Capalaba where he has proven to be most successful.
With 14 starts down the 366m at the boutique bayside track, Valhalla has saluted nine times, with a further four runner-up finishes.
Valhalla's only other two starts were up the Victorian straight track at Healesville.
He took out the Queensland Straight Track Championship Final at the Capalaba 366m, on August 13, beating home Bye Bye Raider by 1.5 lengths, before heading south for the $25,000-to-the-winner National Straight Track Championship Final at Healesville.
On his trip south, he lined up at the Healesville 350m trip on two occasions, finishing fifth from an eight-dog field in the Group 3 National Straight Track Championship on August 26, and second in a heat of the Healesville Cup, beaten by Victorian straight track specialist Unleash Collinda.
From a litter of five out of Femme Folle and by multiple Group 1 winning sire Orson Allen, Valhalla has gone on to become the most successful of his siblings, banking $133,215 in prizemoney with a career of 11 wins and nine minor placings from 30 career starts.