Out to spoil the party: The Gary Ennis trained Enry Walt is the only greyhound in tonight’s Solo Melbourne Cup not owned by leading owner/breeder Paul Wheeler. The track favourite will retire after tonight’s prestigious event.
By David Nagel
GREYHOUND racing’s ultimate prize is up for grabs tonight (Thursday) with the running of the ‘$200,000 to the winner’ Solo Melbourne Cup at Sandown Park.
The event is dominated by one owner and two trainers.
Leading owner/breeder Paul Wheeler has a strangle hold on the race with seven of the eight runners, with Andrea Dailly training four and Graeme Bate three.
The only runner not under their care is Sandown local favourite Enry Walt, who will have his last race start in tonight’s classic, jumping from box three.
Eight of the fastest greyhounds in Australia will explode from the boxes at 9.57pm and less than 30 seconds later; one of them will be added to the most prestigious honour roll in the sport.
Undoubtedly the most exciting greyhound in the country, Bekim Bale, will start favourite for the final despite drawing poorly in box four, and is one of Dailly’s four starters.
The Sandown track record holder has won seven of his nine career starts including a come from behind win in the fastest time of the night in last week’s heats.
Bekim Bale possesses an astonishing finishing burst and overcame a fair start to run down the early leader Zippstar in a rapid 29.28.
Bekim Bale is being hailed the new superstar of the greyhound world and will be looking to add the Melbourne Cup to his recent Macro Meats Shootout victory of two weeks ago.
Joining Bekim Bale on the crowded trip to the track will be Dailly’s other three runners, Geelong Cup winner Dyna Tron, the youngest dog in the field Bala Bale and Dyna Morris who has drawn the coveted box eight.
Of these three, Dyna Tron presents the biggest challenge to his kennel mate, running 29.31 from box eight in last week’s heat, leading all the way.
If Dyna Tron jumps as expected and acts as a lure for Bekim Bale, tonight’s time could be extraordinary.
Bate is a legend of the greyhound world and will be aiming for a record fourth Melbourne Cup success.
All of Bate’s three runners –Shereen Bale (Box 1), Numero Uno Bale (Box 2) and Allen Elroy (Box 6)- are quality performers but Shereen Bale looks his best chance after drawing the coveted red alley.
Shereen Bale will be right on the speed heading into the crucial first turn and the rail could be the safest place to be as eight mighty greyhounds descend on the sport’s most brutal bend.
Gary Ennis prepares the only non-Wheeler runner in the race, with veteran Enry Walt competing in his 14th group race final in 65 career starts.
A win for the rising four-year-old would be a fairytale finish to a career that pushed past the $250,000 mark with last week’s heat win.
Enry Walt has won 10 of his 26 starts at the track and will be a warm crowd favourite when he jumps tonight from box three.
Solo Melbourne Cup night promises to be a great night out for the family, with a range of kid’s activities including a face painter, roving entertainers, a jumping castle and mini golf.
For the adults there are 8 x $1000 bets on the Cup up for grabs, a Punter’s Club with a $2000 starting pool, mystery envelopes and a host of prizes and giveaways.
Entry is free to all, gates open at 6pm and the lids will open on the first race at 7.08pm.
