TASMANIA greyhounds could play a dominant role in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup heats at SandownPark on Thursday night.
The Debbie Cannan-trained Accounts lines up in the second heat (race 3) but will need to begin and do everything right early from box four if he is to win and progress to the final.
Accounts has been in good form of late with two wins and as many minor placings from his past five starts, all of which have been in interstate and includes wins at Wentworth Park in Sydney.
Magra trainer Mick Stringer heaved a sigh of relief with his star bitch Topline Doovee drew box one in her heat (race 4).
“She’s drawn an alley that could get her through to the final but she’s gong have to begin well or she’ll get shuffled back from the inside draw,” Stringer said.
“She’s hardly ever drawn the red but I’d rather she be carrying the red vest than the yellow of green,” he said.
Topline Doovee has had only 31 stars for 21 wins and four minor prizes and has won at Group level having won the West Australian Oaks earlier this year.
She has been battling a wrist injury that Stringer believes he has remedied.
The Bond-Rocket Gear bitch goes into Thursday night’s Cup heat on the back of a very impressive win in an invitation race over 461 metres at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart last Thursday night.