The Topgun is a group 1 greyhound race held at the Meadows, due to be raced in November, 2025. The Topgun is an invitational event, with it featuring many of the top chasers in Australia. Our Topgun betting guide will run you through everything you need to know ahead of the 525m feature, including presenting the latest Topgun odds, Topgun field, Topgun betting sites and apps and bookie promotions. Continue reading our Topgun betting guide for more.
There are currently no odds available for the 2025 Topgun. Odds should be available a few weeks out from the event.
The Topgun field for the 2025 race is yet to be revealed.
Because it is a hand-picked field, the Topgun attracts the best sprinting greyhounds in pursuit of the lucrative prize and it is as such regarded as one of the biggest races on the annual greyhound racing calendar.
Naturally, with a brilliant field lining up, there is always plenty of betting interest on the Topgun. The event showcases the best sprinting talent greyhound racing has to offer – proven, genuine, fast and tenacious animals doing what they do best.
With so many people tuning in to watch and bet on the Topgun, betting pools are usually bigger which in turn results in a more lucrative winning dividend if you are skilful enough to pick the winner.
Additionally, you are also inclined to get plenty of value when betting on races such as the Topgun – with the talent spread evenly across the eight runners.
Another benefit of being a big greyhound race is that all of the best greyhound bookmakers will offer fixed odds betting in the weeks (and in some cases months) ahead of the final.
All of the best Topgun betting sites will have promotions on their greyhound betting apps, with this the most common way that Aussies bet on greyhound racing. These Topgun betting apps are generally available for Android and iOS smartphones.
The Topgun was first run in 1993 and was remarkably a dead heat – with champion Victorian greyhounds Worth Backing (Worth Doing x Hot Footsteps Aug ’90) and Golden Currency (Shining Chariot x Currency Lass Aug ’91) unable to be split on the post and therefore splitting the $40,000 winner’s cheque.
In 1994 the race was held at the old Olympic Park track and the prize money was increased to $50,000. The next year it was run at the old Sandown Park circuit, with Rapid Hiker (Kareem x Sleep Walker Feb ’93) setting a new track record.
The 1997 race was a spectacle to behold, with greyhounds from Ireland, the UK and the United States making the voyage to compete against Australia’s best. Top honours went to Australian greyhound Chicago Blue (Reifenhauser x Tosawi May ’95).
The race was elevated to Group 2 status in 1998 and the very next year it became a Group 1 race feature.
In 2003, former champion race dog and sire Bombastic Shiraz (Black Shiraz x Bombastic Blonde Mar ’01) completed the Triple Crown of greyhound racing, taking out the Shootout, the Melbourne Cup and the Topgun.
Whisky Assassin (Awesome Assassin x Princess Whisky Jan ’02) made the race his own in 2004, setting a new 29.40 track record at Sandown Park with an emphatic victory off box eight. The next year prize money increased to $125,000, having been worth $100,000 for the three years prior.
The Topgun was moved to The Meadows in 2008 when the two Victorian metropolitan clubs – Sandown Park and the Melbourne Greyhound Racing Association (The Meadows) agreed to a new feature race structure. Previously the Topgun had alternated between the two tracks.
The race was rocked with scandal in 2009 when Jason Thompson’s champion superstar greyhound El Galo (Where’s Pedro x Roxy Reason Nov ’05) returned a positive swab. He was later disqualified and the win went to Regal Thyme (Bombastic Shiraz x Thyme Travel Nov ’05) which had originally run second after getting a start in the final off box one following the scratching of injured Queensland galloper Knocka Norris.
Victorian and Australian Greyhound of the Years won the race in 2008 and 2009, with Cindeen Shelby (Bombastic Shiraz x Proper Shelby Aug ’06) and El Grand Senor (Where’s Pedro x Elgrando Gold Apr ’08) winning their respective features.
One of the biggest upsets in the race was in 2012 when rank outsider David Bale (Bartrim Bale x Dyna Beauty Nov ’09) scored at $31.20 – running down his kennel mate Desalle Bale right on the line in 29.92. David Bale went on to have an underrated career as a sire, producing champion greyhound Fanta Bale.
The Wheeler family claimed their third straight win in the Topgun when WA chaser Dyna Nalin (Ashom Bale x Tally Bale Mar ’11) won the 2013 event, trained by Paul Stuart. The Wheelers also owned Allen Harper which won the race in 2011 and David Bale.
In 2014, Buckle Up Wes (Collision x Everlong Bale x June ’11) stamped himself as the best greyhound Tasmania has produced when winning the Topgun, in the process becoming the first dog to win the Australian Cup – Topgun double.
2015 saw millionaire man Fernando Bale (Kelsos Fusileer x Chloe Allen Mar ’13) lead all the way in a brilliant race record time of 29.57. It was his eighth and final group 1 victory.
The 2016 edition of the race was taken out by Dundee Osprey (Fabregas x Dundee Rose Dec ’13) for hobby trainer Geoff Scott-Smith. The black dog was invited to compete in the race after winning the Harrison-Dawson at Sandown Park earlier in the year and relished the wet track conditions on the night when saluting off box eight.
The most recent edition of the Topgun was taken out by Excavation securing the race record in 29.52 and winning by an impressive 8 lengths in 2024.
Click the tabs to see short recaps of the recent runnings of the Topgun.
The 2024 Group 1 Topgun, held at The Meadows on November 9, featured a stellar performance by Excavation, trained by Jason Thompson. Starting from box two, Excavation demonstrated exceptional speed and control, leading the race from start to finish. He completed the 525m distance in a remarkable 29.52 seconds, securing victory by a margin of 7.5 lengths over the runner-up, Blue Kermaro. This time narrowly missed Fernando Bale’s race record, underscoring Excavation’s outstanding capability.
This victory marked Jason Thompson’s fourth Topgun title and the fifth for his family, further solidifying their significant impact in greyhound racing. Seona Thompson, Jason’s wife, expressed immense pride in Excavation’s performance, stating, “There’s just something about him, he’s just a special dog.”
Following this victory, Excavation has become a strong contender for upcoming major races, including the Melbourne Cup and The Phoenix. His impressive form has already earned him a slot in The Phoenix, with Aaron Bain Racing and Summit Bloodstock selecting him as their representative for the $1.65 million event scheduled for December 21 at The Meadows.
Jason Thompson had an inkling the 2023 Topgun was not that quick and that Transponder had the ability to win it. His hunch proved correct as his dog saluted over Brisbane Cup winner jay Is Jay and Alpha Zulu. The victory in the Topgun was Thompson’s third in this feature, with it taking Transponder’s career earnings to over $440,000, in just 40 races.
Victorian star Aston Rupee has won the 2021 Topgun over 525m for Glenn Rounds. Jumping as the $2.20 favourite from box 2, Aston Rupee too the rails route and beat home Tiggerlong Tonk ($15.40), while Adelaide Cup winner Do It finished third. It was just Aston Rupee’s second start in a group 1 race, after losing to do it in the Adelaide Cup. It was the seventh time in a row that a Victorian has won the Topgun greyhound race.
| Year | Winner | Trainer | Distance | Boxes | Margin | Time | Runner-Up | Track |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Golden Currency & Worth Backing (Dead Heat) | K. Mugavin & C. Haas | 511m | 1,4,5 | D/H x Neck | 30.56sec | Revealing (3rd) | SAN |
| 1994 | New Fox (NSW) | D. Reid | 511m | 7,2,3 | 2-1/2L | 29.98sec | Rusty Lee | OLP |
| 1995 | Rapid Hiker (VIC) | P. Newman | 511m | 1,5,3 | 4L | 29.80sec | Tenthill Doll | SAN |
| 1996 | Wylie Boy (VIC) | G. Rose | 515m | 4,2,8 | 3/4L | 30.09sec | Oak Raider | SAN |
| 1997 | Chicago Blue (VIC) | B. Furness | 515m | 4,3,7 | 2L | 30.00sec | Awesome Assassin | SAN |
| 1998 | Rapid Journey (NSW) | J. Carruthers | 515m | 1,8,7 | Head | 29.85sec | Reggemite | SAN |
| 1999 | Mint Magic (NSW) | R. Watson | 518m | 6,1,7 | 10L | 29.97sec | Sweeping Storm | MEA |
| 2000 | Placard (NSW) | R. King | 515m | 7,1,3 | 4-3/4L | 29.92sec | Droopys Zola | SAN |
| 2001 | No Intent (VIC) | J. Thompson | 525m | 1,6,7 | 2-1/4L | 30.17sec | Toll Security | MEA |
| 2002 | Lindale Blue (WA) | C. Bainbridge | 515m | 5,4,6 | 4L | 29.76sec | Excite Ability | SAN |
| 2003 | Bombastic Shiraz (VIC) | D. Cairns | 525m | 5,2,7 | 3/4L | 30.06sec | Spring Secret | MEA |
| 2004 | Whisky Assassin (VIC) | J. Thompson | 515m | 8,4,7 | 9L | 29.40sec | Regal Ricky | SAN |
| 2005 | Black Enforcer (QLD) | T. Brett | 525m | 5,4,3 | 2-1/2L | 30.02sec | Sun Hero | MEA |
| 2006 | Jaimandy Coops (VIC) | P. Donohue | 515m | 5,2,1 | 4-3/4L | 29.60sec | Train A Journey | SAN |
| 2007 | Meticulous (VIC) | M. Briganti | 525m | 1,4,7 | 1L | 29.88sec | Run’s House | MEA |
| 2008 | Regal Thyme (VIC) | G. Long | 525m | 9,8,7 | 2-1/4L | 30.09sec | One Tree Hill | MEA |
| 2009 | Cindeen Shelby (VIC) | K. Greenough | 525m | 2,1,6 | 1-1/2L | 29.75sec | Velocette | MEA |
| 2010 | El Grand Senor (VIC) | C. Jones | 525m | 4,7,5 | 4-1/4L | 29.83sec | Enry Walt | MEA |
| 2011 | Allen Harper (VIC) | G. Bate | 525m | 7,6,4 | 4L | 29.82sec | Radley Bale | MEA |
| 2012 | David Bale (VIC) | G. Bate | 525m | 9,5,3 | Head | 29.92sec | Desalle Bale | MEA |
| 2013 | Dyna Nalin (WA) | P. Stuart | 525m | 8,1,5 | 3.17L | 29.90sec | Peter Rocket | MEA |
| 2014 | Buckle Up Wes (TAS) | T. Medhurst | 525m | 5,3,6 | 2.13L | 30.02sec | Oakvale Destiny | MEA |
| 2015 | Fernando Bale (VIC) | A. Dailly | 525m | 1,2,8 | 0.38L | 29.57sec | Kayda Shae | MEA |
| 2016 | Dundee Osprey (VIC) | G. Scott Smith | 525m | 8,2,1 | 3.11L | 29.98sec | Aston Bolero | MEA |
| 2017 | Up Hill Jill (VIC) | D. Geall | 525m | 7,2,6 | 3.43L | 29.89sec | Aston Dee Bee | MEA |
| 2018 | Poke The Bear (VIC) | S. Thompson | 525m | 6,5,4 | 5.96L | 29.74sec | Hasten Slowly | MEA |
| 2019 | Get Git Gizmo (VIC) | H. Manolitsis | 525m | 2,5,8 | 2.77L | 30.08sec | Feral Franky | MEA |
| 2020 | Shima Shine (VIC) | A. Dailly | 525m | 2,8,4 | 2.47L | 29.67sec | Simon Told Helen | MEA |
| 2021 | Aston Rupee (VIC) | G. Rounds | 525m | 2,6,1 | 1.40L | 29.66sec | Tiggerlong Tonk | MEA |
| 2022 | Photo Man (VIC) | G. Clifton | 525m | 9,3,4 | 2-1/4L | 29.91sec | McInerney | MEA |
| 2023 | Transponder (VIC) | J. Thompson | 525m | 3,8,2 | 5-1/2L | 29.70sec | Jay Is Jay | MEA |
| 2024 | Excavation (VIC) | J. Thompson | 525m | 2,5,1 | 8L | 29.52sec* | Blue Kermaro | MEA |