By MICHAEL FLOYD
THE path to the world’s richest greyhound race, the $500,000 Group 1 Melbourne Cup, began last Thursday with the first Melbourne Cup Prelude series being run at Sandown Park.
Nine Group race winners greeted the starter across the four Preludes highlighting the quality of the fields, and the racing didn’t disappoint.
Iona Seven took out the night’s opening Prelude, jumping straight to the lead and powering to a 2.5 length win over Group 1 Maturity winner Marcus Joe in a slick 29.37 seconds.
It was the Robert Britton trained speedster’s fifth win from seven starts at the venue and 10th in her 28 start career.
Three-time Melbourne Cup winning trainer Graeme Bate claimed the second Prelude with the under rated Buckle Up Mason saluted in 29.45 seconds.
Race favourite National Time crossed Buckle Up Mason to lead through the first turn.
Buckle Up Mason stalked the leader throughout the run before switching to the outside on rounding the home turn and winning by a neck.
Vapourash landed the biggest betting plunge of the night in taking out Prelude 3.
Sensationally backed from $16 into $4.60, Vapourash took full advantage of his rails draw to lead all of the way to land a convincing 3.75 length win in 29.39 seconds.
Punters had to wait until the night’s final Prelude for rising star Banjo Boy to make his much anticipated appearance, and they were not disappointed.
Just a week after running the second fastest time ever run at the circuit, Banjo Boy was sent to the boxes a $1.90 favourite despite the rise in class and drawing the awkward box four.
However, those who took the short odds had no reason for concern as the son of Vee Man Vane again showed outstanding acceleration to lead through the first turn and power away from his rivals to stop the clock in 29.13.
Each Prelude winner automatically secured their berth in the Melbourne Cup heats to be run on Thursday 14 November.
