With the $1,000,000 Melbourne Cup only just around the corner, tonight we see the running of the Melbourne Cup Heats as the best dogs in the country look to qualify for the big race next week.
The BetDeluxe team has gone through all the best bets on what is a huge night of greyhound racing from Sandown Park.
Sandown Park Race 2
#8 Mepunga Warrior
He rarely runs a bad race does Mepunga Warrior.
His lead-all-the-way victory at Sandown Park over 715 metres last start will have him humming into this race with his main rival having never had a start over this distance range.
What is favourable for the Robbie Britton-trained stayer is, even though stamina is what sets him apart from his opposition, he actually also had good gate speed for a dog of his calibre.
While he might not be able to cross to the rail in the early part of this race, he can slide up from the wide box and sit outside Highly Explosive and then use his superior staying ability to take over in the final stages of the race.
Suggested Bet: Mepunga Warrior win at $4.20
Suggested Exotic: Quinella 1 & 8
Sandown park race 3
#8 Hank the hustler
If you want to see an unlucky run, go and watch the replay of Hank the Hustler’s last start.
He found more trouble than a two-year-old throwing a tantrum in a toy store.
He was never able to find clean running or build up momentum at any stage of the race, but he can make amends in this event.
He is one of the class dogs of the field and his record over this distance reads a near 50% strike rate with 24 starts yielding 10 wins.
Box eight will unlikely pose too many problems as he can find clear air early in the run without being squished like he was last start.
Suggested Bet: Hank The Hustler win at $3.3
Sandown Park Race 4
#4 Gypsy Wyong
Gypsy Wyong has a serious motor capable of smashing this field.
Happy to forgive her last start defeat when she was a defeated $1.70 favourite at this course and distance.
Her racing style is just jump, run and grind her opposition into the ground with his elite staying ability.
The lead should be open up for her here in the early parts of this race and it is surprise to see her come up better than even money.
Anything in the black could be a luxury for her as he heads towards the Bold Trease Final.
Suggested Bet: Gypsy Wyong win at $2.30
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 4/ 8/ 5, 6
Sandown Park Race 6
#1 Nikoli Bale
We get to have a look at star chaser Tommy Shelby in this Melbourne Cup Heat, but it is Nikoli Bale who we will be cheering home.
The Samantha Grenfell-trained chaser is fit and has the easy draw to get the gun run on the rail.
His fitness advantage over Tommy Shelby is what gives him the competitive edge in this field.
Think he will start much shorter than the current $4.4 quote.
Suggested Bet: Nikoli Bale win at $4.4
Suggested Exotic: Exacta 1 & 8
Sandown Park Race 7
#4 Wow She's Fast
Wow She’s Fast and that she is indeed.
Jacqueline Greenough prepares her kennel star for this heat of the Melbourne Cup.
The one-year-old bitch took a big step up in grade last start and started a $2.6 favourite at Sandown over 515 metres and was slightly unlucky in the run.
This is a similar level race to what she ran in last week and we now get double the price to figure out of if she can get a clean passage through from box four.
Happy to take the punt on her talent getting her over the line here at nice odds.
Suggested Bet: Wow She’s Fast win at $4.4
Suggested Exotic: Quinella 2 & 4
Sandown Park Race 9
#2 Do It
Do It looks ready to explode after finishing close up behind Aston Rupee at The Meadows just under a fortnight ago.
He is the clear class runner of the race and brings in the best form on paper to this race.
The dog drawn inside of him has great early toe, so he can get a nice trail into the race and then use phenomenal mid-race surge to reel in the leader and boot away in the back straight to open up a winning margin.
Looks one of the better best of the night and it might pay to take him in a double with our best of the night – Hank The Hustler in Race 3.
Suggested Bet: Do It win at $2.4
Suggested Multi: Do it into Hank The Hustler = $7.20
