A number of Tasmanian greyhounds – including last year’s runner-up – are a strong chance to win the $75,000 first prize in next week’s group one TattsBet Hobart Thousand final at Tattersall’s Park.
Sixty four greyhounds from around Australia will compete in the heats over 461 metres on 13 December, with the best eight to compete in the final on 20 December.
Hobart Greyhound Racing Club (HGRC) chair Denise Fysh said Rewind was the standout Tasmanian greyhound that had nominated for this year’s TattsBet Hobart Thousand.
“Rewind won the Devonport Cup this year and put in a brilliant run to finish second in last year’s Hobart Thousand,” she said.
“He got everyone to their feet cheering and was just pipped at the post after Dyna Tron just caught him on the line.”
Ms Fysh said Rob Pines, which had recently won a group three race interstate, was another local greyhound with a strong chance if he could qualify for next week’s final.
“We have received 34 interstate nominations, which is an excellent result, including nominations from some very well-performed greyhounds,” she said.
“Release The Heat, trained by David Geall at Lara in Victoria, won the Hobart Thousand Prelude last week in 26.01, and should improve on that given it was the greyhound’s first look at the track.
“Desalle Bale, trained by Graeme Bate and owned by Paul Wheeler, is an excellent young females which recently won a group three race at Wentworth Park, finished third in the group one Easter Egg and was a finalist in both the Melbourne and Geelong Cups.”
Ms Fysh also listed Maverick Tiger, trained by Kelvyn Greenough, and Grigorieva Bale, trained by Andrea Daley and also owned by Paul Wheeler, as good interstate chances.
Tasracing chief executive Eliot Forbes said he was very pleased that the TattsBet Hobart Thousand series had once again attracted top interstate and local greyhounds.
“This year the HGRC received strong nominations for the series, including 34 from interstate,” he said.
“This is an excellent result for the HGRC and Tasracing which have been working together to lift the profile of Tasmanian greyhound racing.
“The group one Hobart Thousand series provides us with the perfect vehicle to achieve this. The interstate interest for this race series demonstrates that the joint work we have been doing is starting to work.”
The TattsBet Hobart Thousand was first run in 1935, making it the longest running classic event on the Australian greyhound racing calendar.