Victorian greyhounds dominate 2023 SA Derby final
Thursday night's 2023 Group 3 South Australian (SA) Derby is shaping up to be an interesting race, with two top contenders emerging after their impressive heat wins.
The $25,000-to-the-winner final will feature three SA-trained greyhounds who will attempt to hold off the onslaught of Victorian greyhounds trying to claim the Group 3 race.
Local SA Kiah Hurley has two runners in the final with In The Bug and Lochinvar Milan.
But despite drawing well for the classic age final in boxes two and three, online bookmakers are not giving either greyhound much chance, pricing them at +2500 and +6000 respectively.
Local veteran breeder, owner, and trainer, Don Turner has Who Knows Reg engaged from box six, but again greyhound betting sites are giving the locally bred son of Rippin' Sam very little chance of securing victory at a price of +6000 to win the final.
Five Victorian border raiders will attempt to secure the prized Angle Park classic race.
They are led by the Jihad Talgi-trained Schillaci, who caught everyone's attention with his all-the-way SA Derby heat victory from box six in 30.27, winning by 13.25 lengths.
The winner of seven of 11 starts has been priced as the -105.26 red-hot favourite after qualifying quickest and drawing the one box for the final.
The move to the inside should only enhance his chances.
Fellow Victorian trainer Jeff Britton, who will start three greyhounds in the SA Derby final, admits that Schillaci will be very hard to beat from the inside at Angle Park.
“Schillaci is still going to be very hard to beat.
“The red box, or an inside draw, is just huge there,” Britton said.
Britton, who won the SA Derby twice with Wizards Chess in 2002, and Mepunga Pegasus in 2019, will start three runners in the feature final.
His best chance would seem to lie with Mepunga Smokey, but Britton cautions that the wide draw may hinder his chances.
“It seems to be very hard to win from wide draws,” said Britton.
Mepunga Smokey was a 30.32 SA Derby heat winner last week, leading all the way, but will have to contend with box seven in the final.
Greyhound betting sites have priced Mepunga Smokey at +170 despite the awkward draw, and he and race favourite Schillaci totally dominate the SA Derby betting.
Britton will also start Weblec Wolf from box five, who is an +700 chance, and Departed from box eight, who has been priced at +1100.
The fifth of the Victorian greyhounds in the final is the Vicki Wisener-trained Aston Costello.
Aston Costello is a five-time winner from 18 starts and, importantly, has drawn close to where he produces his best.
The SA-owned greyhound has won three of his five races from box three and will exit box four in the Group 3 final.
Aston Costello is a fast 29.28 Sandown winner, and greyhound betting apps are offering +450 about his SA Derby chances, making him the clear third favourite.