Strap yourself in to view just under three hours of enthralling chasing action on TAB Trackside 1 this evening. Dedicated event coverage will stream live from Melbourne’s Sandown Park where twenty, head-to-head match races will be contested during their Speed Star series.
Yes, greyhound match racing is back on our screens which also brings to our attention that New Zealand’s equivalent match race series, The Amazing Chase is rapidly approaching. Details about the July 27 series, which will be contested at the Hatrick Raceway, will be released shortly.
From an original four matches, one race event, the progressive Sandown club last year expanded the format into a five race series (four matches each per event) over their three racing distances.
This evening A$190,000 will be on offer with the overall winner of the three main 515m, 595m and 715 events each pocketing $20,000 (plus $5,000 for winning their match race). Two other support 515m events will also be contested.
Here’s a refresher on how the match racing concept works:
Each event will consist of four, two dog match races. Traps one and three are used for all matches. The first match will see TAB # 1 greyhound carry the red racing vest, #2 the checks and so on where in in the fourth match the #7 dog will exit from trap one with the black racing vest on - #8 jumps from trap three wearing the pink.
The NZ TAB tote dividends will be declared based on each greyhound’s official time. Win divi – the quickest overall from the four induvial matches. Place divis, the fasted three times; Quinella the fastest two; the quickest three for the Trifecta and likewise for the First4 divi with it obviously being paid of the quickest four times (greyhounds from the same match may be involved).
The NZ TAB will offer an extensive range of Fixed Odds options on all events – check out www.tab.co.nz/racing - Fixed Odds - Final Field for all available options.
TAB Trackside 1 will take the Sky Racing live feed, commencing at 8.30pm with the Catching Pen hosts Dave Carlson and James Van de Maat anchoring the coverage. Huge kudos goes out to the NZRB and Trackside teams for making the Sky Racing coverage available on this side of the Tasman.
Extensive meeting previews can be viewed on www.grv.org.au and on www.sandowngreyhounds.com.au with expanded form, interviews, markets, etc. covered in numerous pages/links. There’s also an opportunity to win $1,000 via the Sandown Top Dog tipping competition. Check out the details here - topdogtipping.com.au
Pawnote: Keeps tabs on the forthcoming Sandown Thursday meetings as next week they roll into the Sandown Cup heats which is the world’s richest staying race. A stake of A$250,000 will be allocated following the May 24 running of the 715 staying event final.
Watch the pure chasing Speed Star action unfold with live uninterrupted coverage on TAB Trackside 1 from 8.30pm this evening
By Peter Fenemor
