Music Event hoping to break 27 year drought for locals in Shepparton Cup
Kialla sprinter Music Event will aim to break a 27-year drought in Saturday night's $67,000 Group 2 Shepparton Cup Final (450m).
Not since Thorgil Tex in 1994 has a greyhound from the Shepparton region won the Cup, but the Michael Carter-trained Music Event has his chance after drawing box one.
Although running 2nd in his heat, Music Event also has a home-track advantage, having won five of his seven starts over the track/distance including a 24.92sec PB, the fastest of all the finalists.
“Five years ago Gotta Get Back won the Shepparton Cup and his trainer John McClelland considers himself a local as Shepparton is his closest greyhound track, despite living just over the NSW border in Jindera.”
“But it has been a long time since a greyhound based in the heart of Shepparton has won the Cup, which is our biggest race of the year,” said Shepparton Greyhound Racing Club Manager, Carl McGrath.
Five heats were run on Monday night with the winners and three fastest 2nd placegetters qualifying for Saturday's $47,000 to-the-winner final, and McGrath said it's an exciting time for the club.
“Monday's heat night was sensational racing, and the calibre of greyhounds in this final is first class,” McGrath said.
“We've got two of the biggest names in the sport in Catch The Thief and Tiggerlong Tonk, plus a local star in Music Event and a celebrity dog in Papi Go Fast, who is named after one of the biggest names in the NRL (Ryan Papenhuyzen).”
“Throw in the Group 2 Laurels winner (Aston Gwen), our club's 385m track record holder (Benchester) plus two genuine stars on the rise in Ferdinand Boy and Barooga Smoke, who were the fastest heat winners, and we couldn't have dreamed for a better final.”