Unreal Speed dominates Sandown Cup heats, Valpolicella favoured for final
Four heats of the 2024 Group 1 Sandown Cup were held at Sandown Park on Thursday night, May 16, and while the Rob Britton-trained Unreal Speed emerged as the fastest qualifier, Australia’s best stayer, Valpolicella, will start as a hot favourite in the $175,000 to-the-winner final next week.
Racing in the opening heat of Sandown’s premier staying race, emerging staying talent Unreal Speed was able to take up a position back in third and fourth in the run, while Sunnyside Jo set up quick sections up front, leading by as much as four lengths.
But in just his 11th race start, Unreal Speed was able to charge in to a clear second in the back straight the last time and take the lead through the home corner before powering away to win in 41.62.
Sunnyside Jo was able to hold on for second and qualify for next week’s final 2.9 lengths from the winner.
Despite finishing second, the David Kerr-trained Sunnyside Jo will head towards next week’s final with some confidence after emerging as the second fastest qualifier.
2024 Group 1 Sandown Cup Heat 1 – Unreal Speed (41.62) T: Rob Britton
In winning in the quickest of the four Sandown Cup heats, Unreal Speed improved his race record to 8 wins and a third from just 11 starts.
Barely out of restricted company, the son of Space Star and Shiny Bright has now had only four starts over distances longer than 700 metres for three wins and a third.
Bred by Helen Ivers, the 35-kg black dog is owned by John Hutchinson, who is getting a fabulous ride with talented young stayer, as he has now won $46,995 in prizemoney in just 11 starts.
Recent track record-breaking The 715 winner at The Gardens, and dual Group 1 winner, Valpolicella, did it the hard way to win Heat 2 of the Sandown Cup in 41.99.
In contrast to the record breaking Gardens run where she led all the way, Valpolicella was buried back in third last early before peeling wide in the back straight to get to a clear fourth on the home corner.
Switching to the inside, Valpolicella stormed along the rail to claim the lead in the shadows of the finishing post.
Irish Millie got past the tiring Raider’s Guide and Osprey Athena to claim second 0.91 lengths from the winner, and qualify for next week’s Group 1 final.
2024 Group 1 Sandown Cup Heat 2 – Valpolicella (41.99) T: Tony Zammit
Valpolicella’s effort thrilled her trainer, visiting Queensland trainer Tony Zammit, who admitted, “I was thinking that she was too far back.”
The daughter of Shima Shine and Saldana will be looking to add a third Group 1 title next to her name, having won the 2024 Zoom Top at The Meadows and the 2024 Albion Park Gold Cup.
The 715 win, although worth $500,000 to-the-winner carries no group status.
The 27-kg black bitch will start as the as the favourite for next week’s $175,000 to the winner final after drawing box one for the Group 1 race, and will only need to finish first or second to break the $1,000,000 mark in earnings.
In Heat 3 of the Sandown Cup, twice-Group 1 placed Tasmanian greyhound Fast Minardi got the bob in on the line to beat 2023 Group 1 Sale Cup winner Drill Sergeant in 42.02.
With one lap to go in the Group 1 qualifier, Drill Sergeant and Fast Minardi cam away from the field to fight the race out, with Drill Sergeant high-balling in front after exiting box one and Fast Minardi doing all the chasing from box two.
With 200 metres to go in the race, Fast Minardi levelled up with Drill Sergeant, and the two greyhounds staged a battle royale, going head and head to the finish line.
On the line, it was the Paul Hili-trained Fast Minardi who got the decision, 0.04 lengths in front of Drill Sergeant, with both dogs qualifying for the final.
2024 Group 1 Sandown Cup Heat 3 – Fast Minardi (42.02) T: Paul Hili
Fast Minardi took his record to 38 wins and 18 placings in a 62 start career that has earned connections $302,935 in prizemoney.
The son of Fernando Bale and Cheeky Vixen is the 2024 Group 2 Launceston Cup champion, having finished second in the same race the year prior.
The 31-kg light brindle dog finished second in Palawa King’s 2023 National Distance Championship final at The Meadows and third behind fellow Tasmanian Raider’s Guide in the 2024 Group 1 Rookie Rebel over 600 metres at The Meadows.
Greyhound punters betting on greyhound betting apps got the fourth and last heat of the 2024 Sandown Cup right when they sent the Matthew Lanigan-trained Canya Amy to the boxes as the red hot -250 favourite.
Canya Amy, the 2024 Group 1 Association Cup runner-up, was coming in to the Sandown Cup heats having finished third behind Valpolicella in the rich The 715 at The Gardens in NSW.
Starting from box two, Canya Amy had no trouble getting in to a clear second early behind leader Osanna Bale before railing under that greyhound on the home corner and charging to the line in 41.95.
Osanna Bale hung on for second, finishing 2.49 lengths from the winner.
2024 Group 1 Sandown Cup Heat 4 – Canya Amy (41.95) T: Matthew Lanigan
Canya Amy took her record to eight wins and five placings from 22 race starts, earning connections $83,525 in prizemoney.
The daughter of Sennachie and Bombshell Bandit was having her first start over the 715 metre journey at Sandown, a track where she has now had six starts for three wins.
Five bitches and three dogs will contest the 2024 Group 1 Sandown Cup, and stewards performed the box draw for the $175,000 to-the-winner final after the last of the heats.
The box draw has delivered Valpolicella every hope of repeating her track record breaking The 715 win, with the NSW-owned and Qld-trained bitch drawing box one.
Greyhound bookmakers immediately responded to the box draw by installing Valpolicella as the +120 favourite to win the final.
2024 Group 1 Sandown Cup Final
2024 Sandown Cup Final Box Draw & Field Sandown 715m Group 1 < /span> $175,000 to-the-winner Friday, May 24, 2024
|
|
 |
1 Valpolicella
T: Tony Zammit F: 1111 Career:50: 28-8-8 Prizemoney: $954,710
+120
|
 |
2 Osanna Bale
T: Daniel Gibbons F: 1352 Career: 53: 14-8-10 Prizemoney: $78,620
+6000
|
 |
3 Fast Minardi
T: Paul Hili F: 1111 Career: 62: 38-15-3 Prizemoney: $302,935
+600
|
 |
4 Canya Amy
T: Matthew Lanigan F: 2131 Career: 22: 8-4-1 Prizemoney: $83,525
+600
|
 |
5 Drill Sergeant
T: Shane Drummond F: 1512 Career: 49: 14-15-6 Prizemoney: $280,188
+2000
|
 |
6 Irish Millie
T: Stephen Whyte F: 1152 Career: 33: 8-6-5 Prizemoney: $36,100
+3000
|
 |
7 Unreal Speed
T: Rob Britton F: 1131 Career: 11: 8-0-1 Prizemoney: $46,995
+180
|
 |
8 Sunnyside Jo
T: David Kerrl F: 1282 Career: 50: 15-17-4 Prizemoney: $89,075
+800
|
| Reserves | |
 |
9 Ritza Piper
T: Joe Scerri F: 2223 Career: 47: 16-12-6 Prizemoney: $358,130
+800
|
 |
10 Osprey Athena
T: Angela Langton F: 1413 Career: 58: 13-17-8 Prizemoney: $104,250
+1500
|
.jpg){kind=logo}
Odds correct at time of publication