Heats of the Garrard’s Group 1 Gold Cup (710m) and Group 1 Gold Bullion (520m) showcase one of the biggest nights of greyhound racing in Queensland, and a host of interstate raiders will make the trek to Q2 to take on some ultra-talented locals.

There are three staying deciders, with the winners, seconds and the two fastest thirds making their way into the $150,000 final on February 5. Victorian Without A Trace will be looking for an incredible fourth Group 1 win since November and is the greyhound they’ll be trying to dethrone.

Irish Bill’s devastating Group 2 Golden Ticket win last week means he has gained automatic entry into the Gold Bullion final, so seven greyhounds from Thursday’s four heats will join him in a decider worth a quarter of a million dollars to the winner. 

Let’s have a heat-by-heat preview of both Group 1 qualifiers!

 

Garrard’s Gold Cup heat one

Middle-distance track record holder Jay Walking was about as impressive as he could be in his 710-metre debut last week, reeling off great splits before winning in a solid 41.40. If he can back up he will take a power of beating. He takes on injury-prone G1 winner Unreal Speed, Victorian Fade To Black and the ever-consistent Goldstar Sandler, so the stakes are getting higher. A great start to the G1 heats.

 

Garrard’s Gold Cup heat two

Without A Trace is undoubtedly Australia’s best stayer, and she returns to Q2 after running second here in the Group 1 National Distance Championship back in August. Since then she has been almost perfect, winning the Group 2 Sydney Cup, the Group 1 Topgun Stayers, the Group 1 Bold Trease and the Group 1 Sale Cup. Her mix of early speed and strength makes her incredibly hard to stop. She takes on Zig Zag Man who was an eye-catching third in the G1 Golden Sands here recently, while Akela Ninjutsu and interstate raider Mepunga Lara have been racing very well of late.

 

Garrard’s Gold Cup heat three

The third and final heat of the Gold Cup looks the most open, based on a few factors. First, was Zipping Xaden’s run last week simply a blip, considering many good judges predict huge things over this distance for the multiple track record holder? He fanned off badly in last week’s Clem Jones Cup but is expected to improve. The winner of that race was Autumn Storm, and she’s understandably very hard to leave out of the chances considering her amazingly successful career. Light Of Mine is a greyhound from New South Wales making serious waves, and Magpie Hector’s brilliant 41.71 win at Wentworth Park recently cannot be taken lightly.

 

Garrard’s Gold Bullion heat one

Queensland Derby champ Winsome Jet has taken to Q2 like a duck to water, and three recent sub-29.40 runs here means he is unanimously the greyhound to beat. His box draw only enhances that belief. Sooty Keeping is looking to qualify for her 16th Group final and can never be dismissed despite her box draw. Avengement is a recent 29.28 winner at Sandown and is drawn to figure if he can bring his best, while Unworldly looks a greyhound on the rise after last week’s win on the track.

 

Garrard’s Gold Bullion heat two

Daysea’s Rory will look to qualify for back-to-back Gold Bullions and last week’s win over Winsome Jet shows that he is still racing at a very high level. He’s seemingly hit great form at the right time, and only the heroics of Irish Bill stopped Rory gaining automatic entry for the February 5 final. The box draw looks good for Rory, as even though Vista Weird (box one) moves off, he’s not known for his dash from the boxes. The dark horse in the race is Dashing Jordy as he brings a very impressive turn of foot which could offset his sticky draw.

 

Garrard’s Gold Bullion heat three

Deadly Avenger – Australia’s fifth highest prizemoney earner of all time – returns to Queensland after his Phoenix success, and he too has defied his age recently with a brilliant 29.65 win at The Meadows. At his best he can put himself in a very winnable position with a lap to go, and he’ll need to produce one of those runs after drawing off the track. The heat contains at least four others who can split in the low five-second mark early, making it a tricky race. Will class prevail in what looms as a very competitive run to the first turn?

 

Garrard’s Gold Bullion heat four

Melbourne Cup winner Canya Mayhem will make his Queensland debut after an amazing Melbourne Cup victory and a super second behind Deadly Avenger in the Phoenix. Has been freshened up and track watchers say a zippy trial around the Q2 will give connections confidence going in. He takes on Group 2 Futurity winner Tempting Dash who has an imposing 29.29PB on the track, while the speed looks to come from Juniper Rose, who has broken the magical five-second mark to the first split.

 

For Thursday’s fields, click here

Ladbrokes pre-post odds available, click here