The talented staying greyhounds Dyna Weslyn and Dusty Gambler have received invitations to nominate for the TAB Stayers Topgun with the A$75,000 to the winner Group 2 725m event to be contested on the Melbourne based The Meadows track on October 27.
Pictured: Ring The Bell with his former Victorian trainer Gerry O’Keeffe after he finished a creditable third in last year’s Stayers Topgun at The Meadows
Invitations has also been issued for the the Group 1 TAB Topgun (525m) which is worth A$150,000 to the winner (the richest invitation-only race in the world).
Receiving an invite to be considered for final field selection is recognition of New Zealand greyhound racing. The staying performances by Dyna Weslyn and Dusty Gambler have been compelling.
Craig Roberts has always earmarked the promising Dyna Weslyn for an Australian staying campaign. She is relatively inexperienced as a staying chaser however she has quickly made an emphatic statement about her exciting future over the longer race distances. She has contested five staying events winning three including the Group 2 Kingston Cup over 732m and finished second in the other two races.
“I’m rapt to have received the invitation and I’ll definitely accept it. Hopefully she makes the final field,” advised Roberts, who added, “I’m taking Weslyn over to Victoria regardless if she races in the Topgun.”
Dusty Gambler has been an outstanding ultra-consistent stayer since he entered into Karen Walsh’s kennels. From there he has contested 13 staying races ranging in distances from 603m up to 779m winning 11 of them including a Group 1 plus two Group 2 victories.
The procedure from this point is that the connections of the 21 invited stayers have until next Thursday (October 11) to accept their invitations. The Topgun selection panel will meet on October 15 to select the final eight greyhounds to contest the event. The selected field will be announced on the Sky Racing Catching Pen program on October 16 (screened in NZ at 7am October 17 on Trackside 1). The box draw will take place on track at The Meadows on October 20.
“Injuries to Group 1 winning brothers Tornado Tears and Rippin’ Sam means the Group 2 TAB Stayers Topgun could be the most open we’ve ever seen,” said The Meadows manager Marg Long. Both of the quality Rob Britton trained stayers have been sidelined for a short period.
Dyna Weslyn (left) and Dusty Gambler have been invited to nominate for the TAB Stayers Topgun which will be raced at The Meadows in Melbourne on October 27; the Topgun trophy
By Peter Fenemor
