Victorian trio set to fight out Group 1 Adelaide Cup final
Thursday night's heats of the 2023 Group 1 Adelaide Cup promised to deliver exciting greyhound racing, and right from heat 1, the scene was set for an eventful evening at Angle Park.
Red hot odds-on -303.03 race favourite Amron Boy was unable to lead, and was dragged down three times in the run, before picking himself again to finish 2.5 lengths from the winner in fifth.
Weblec Wolf was the +700 second favourite with greyhound betting sites, but after jumping well, even he succumbed to interference in the run to finish second, and miss the final.
It was unheralded local greyhound Adhana Rico who took control of the race late and went to the finish line ahead, winning in 30.72.
2023 Group 1 Adelaide Cup Heat 1 – Adhana Rico (30.72) T: Ashlee Griffiths
Adhana Rico, who was a 2023 Group 1 Harrison Dawson finalist at Sandown Park, was having his 52nd race start, and recorded his 13th win.
Heat 2 of the Adelaide Cup saw a thrilling battle between Victorian greyhounds Launch Code and Mepunga Smokey.
Despite a good beginning, the Brooke Ennis-trained Launch Code was unable to hold out Mepunga Smokey from the lead through the first corner.
Having assumed the lead, Jeff Britton's 2023 SA Derby finalist showed the benefit of recent Angle Park racing, going down to the finish to beat Launch Code by 2.5 lengths in 30.23.
2023 Group 1 Adelaide Cup Heat 2 – Mepunga Smokey (30.23) T: Jeff Britton
Both Mepunga Smokey and Launch Code qualified for next weeks $100,000 to-the-winner Group 1 final.
Jackie Greenough had some doubts pre-race about how Big Energy would handle the wide draw in Heat 3 of the cup, but those fears were allayed seconds after box rise when the talented youngster pounced on the lead early.
Big Energy's 5.20 first section set up his best of night win in 30.03, leading all the way from Fiorano who finished 4.75 lengths back in second.
2023 Group 1 Adelaide Cup Heat 3 – Big Energy (30.03) T: Jackie Greenough
Considering Big Energy has only seen the Angle Park track once prior, and improved his time by a tenth at his second start at the track, a further measured improvement would see him firmly challenging for the Group 1 title next week.
The final heat was run and raced as expected by greyhound punters, with the -181.82 race favourite at greyhound bookmakers, Transponder, beating home the +450 second favourite, Crackerjack Bull, by 4.25 lengths in 30.17
2023 Group 1 Adelaide Cup Heat 4 – Transponder (30.17) T: Jason Thompson
Transponder is now the winner of 19 of his 36 career starts, and has now started nine times from the two outside boxes for seven wins and two placings.
He will be joined in the final by second-placed Crackerjack Bull.
Also joining the seven qualified greyhounds from the Adelaide Cup heats will be SA Match Race Series winner Schillaci, who received the automatic Group 1 final entry for his match-race win.
Prior to his SA Match Race series win, Schillaci won the 2023 Group 3 SA Derby.
In next week's feature race final, the two local finalists Adhana Rico and Fiorano, will have to try and withstand the onslaught of six Victorian greyhounds.
Although that challenge has been made all the more harder by the box draw after Adhana Rico drew box eight, and Fiorano drew box four.
The box draw for the $100,000 to-the-winner Group 1 Adelaide Cup final was performed trackside, and has delivered Angle Park's feature race to the Victorians with the three strongest chances all drawing well.
Jason Thompson's Transponder has drawn the coveted rails draw, while Big Energy has drawn box three.
SA Match Race winner Schillaci has drawn box five.
2023 Group 1 Adelaide Cup Final
2023 Adelaide CupBox Draw & FieldAngle Park530mGroup 1$100,000 to-the-winnerThursday October 5 2023
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1 Transponder
T: Jason ThompsonF: 1231Career: 36: 19-8-4Prizemoney: $189,715
+240
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2 Mepunga Smokey
T: Jeff BrittonF: 1131Career: 19: 10-4-3Prizemoney: $81,780
+550
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3 Big Energy
T: Jackie GreenoughF: 1221Career: 22: 11-4-0Prizemoney: $89,510
+240
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4 Fiorano
T: Brenda OakeyF: 1142Career: 28: 12-4-1Prizemoney: $44,690
+5000
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5 Schillaci
T: Jihad TalgiF: 3111Career: 13: 9-2-1Prizemoney: $54,245
+170
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6 Crackerjack Bull
T: Jordan CooperF: 5112Career: 28: 12-3-3Prizemoney: $59,935
+2000
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7 Launch Code
T: Brooke EnnisF: 5412Career: 26: 10-4-3Prizemoney: $167,290
+750
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8 Adhana Rico
T: Ashlee GriffithsF: 2151Career: 52: 13-11-9Prizemoney: $91,315
+10000
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| Reserves | |
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9 Weblec Wolf
T: Jeff BrittonF: 7222Career: 16: 5-3-3Prizemoney: $34,635
+4000
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10 Could Be King
T: Ben RawlingsF: 2283Career: 28: 11-5-6Prizemoney: $57,830
+8000
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Odds correct at time of publication