Trainer’s Sandown Shootout showdown

THE field for tonight’s (Thursday’s) $50,000 winner-take-all Lechte Nissan Shootout at Sandown Park will be headed by top Cranbourne greyhound Pure Octane.
Leading Victorian trainer Darren McDonald prepares the champion sprinter, which will join kennel mate Bond as two of the four runners in the race.
Recognised ‘swoopers’ Trewly Special for Tina Womann and Lord Monelli for Rocky Crisafi will be storming home in the quest to snatch the big purse from the McDonald pair.
Reigning National Sprint champion Pure Octane looks ideally drawn in box three |to hold out the McDonald-trained New South |Wales speed machine Bond, which has registered 10 |wins from his 16 starts |and represents the major threat to the pre-race favourite.
The enigmatic sprinter secured a spot in the field |last Thursday night with |a sensational solo trial |of 29.66 on a track and |is expected to improve further.
There were 10 nominations for the event with the field reduced to four and two reserves.
The field with their boxes are: 1. Lord Monelli, 3. Pure Octane, 5. Trewly Special, 7. Bond, first reserve Go Forever and second reserve Pororoca.
In other greyhound |news, sprint queen Paua To Burn set Sandown Park alight last Thursday, blitzing her rivals to defend her Group 1 Sapphire Crown classic title.
Jumping from box five, the Sydney superstar held |off an early challenge |from local bitch Maddi Keysy to lead into the |first turn and cruise to |victory in a time of 29.82 seconds.
The win was Paua |To Burn’s seventh win |from 10 starts at the |Lightwood Road circuit, and 23rd career win from 47 starts, with four Group 1 titles.
The win took the dog’s career earnings beyond $370,000 and into fifth on the list of all-time career prize money earners.