The state’s only Group 1 event across all codes is run in Hobart Thursday night, with the Ladbrokes Hobart Thousand being contested over 461 metres. FORMPLUS contributor Mike Clarke has previewed each of the eight greyhounds and provided a Betting Plan for the race.
- ATLEY QUICK
Ran the second fastest sectional times of 5.09 and 11.09 in his heat and has produced better early, recording 5.02 here a couple of months back. He looks a great chance of leading from the inside draw. His overall heat time was the slowest of the finalists however and does struggle to run a strong 461m. If he can run up to his personal best of 25.92 and hold the lead trough the turn, he could be a nice place option as he is currently the second outsider in the field.
- HOOKED ON SCOTCH
Looked a little lost at his first race start on the track and found trouble during the run before flashing late to grab second in a quick, overall run. It would be safe to assume there will be significant improvement from that effort and has drawn better near the fence with a fast beginner in box one who will rail. There are slower beginners to his immediate outside with Stanley Gordon preferring to race away from the fence so he may get some room to position close to the lead before the turn. The current Sandown Park track record holder is arguably the fastest greyhound in the country and looks hard to beat with a clean run.
- STANLEY GORDON
The current Hobart track record holder had a clean run from a wide draw in his heat and chased home Tiggerlong Tonk to produce the second fastest time of the night. He has recorded a brilliant early section of 4.98, but most of his times have been similar to what he produced in his heat around the 5.13 mark. This could see him close to the lead but with plenty of competition for a forward spot and he does like to race wide approaching the turn, so may need some luck in the early stages. He is still a great chance if he can begin well and get to the outside untroubled.
- RAGING RALSTON
Loves the track and is a winner of 10 from 12 starts around the spacious one-bend circuit. He doesn’t have a great deal of early speed and looking at the second sectional times, may find himself in the back half of the field. He is very keen to race near the fence so will be relying on an inside run to present itself as it did in his heat when he stormed home to win in a great overall time. His run home times are phenomenal having recorded 14.43 and 14.44 to go with his record-breaking race where he finished off in an astonishing 14.33.
- GREY GHOST
The Victorian visitor produced the quickest run home time of the heats and was the third quickest overall with a superb effort of 25.76 at his first official run on the track. He was decent early, recording 5.12 but has come up with a difficult box with some runners who like to rail drawn to his outside. Having said that, he did race wide approaching the turn and seemed to appreciate the middle of the track so has solid each-way claims if he can hold his position early and use his powerful finishing run.
- LEICA PRAYER
The outsider of the field almost crossed and led two starts back in the Group 3 Devonport Chase before battling bravely to finish second in fast time. Had to work for her heat win last week after a moderate early section from a good inside draw so may have some improvement on her overall time. Even if she can produce her best early section, cross, and hold a forward position, her better times of around the 25.90 mark look like giving her a place hope at best with the winner likely to produce a fair bit quicker.
- TIGGERLONG TONK
The fastest heat winner was brilliant from the outside box last week showing amazing speed between the first and second sections to outpace the current track record holder in Stanley Gordon. Had reportedly trialed well in the lead up to the heat so we can expect his heat time to be similar to what he can produce in the final. He stayed wide in the run to the turn and crossed down to the fence around the bend so the draw may be suit him again if he can hold out Stop Line who is drawn on his outside. Looks a great chance if he can begin as cleanly as he did last week.
- STOP LINE
The Group 3 Devonport Chase winner had to do it tough in his sensational heat win after being crunched early. He picked himself up and drove to the turn, finding the fence and charged home late to grab the victory in a great overall time. With that in mind, he can certainly improve on the time from the heat. He would prefer an inside box but has a terrific record from the pink and ran 25.80 here from a wide draw not long ago which is probably what we can expect him to be running with a clean run across in the final.
The box draw seems to favour the brilliant HOOKED ON SCOTCH (2) as he may follow the quick beginner, ATLEY QUICK (1) in the run to the bend. Is from the country’s leading kennel who are no strangers to Group 1 success and there promises to be significant improvement on his first look at the track.
Betting Plan: HOOKED ON SCOTCH (2) 2 units to WIN.