Caption: The great Fernando Bale broke through the $1m prizemoney barrier when he won the 2015 Adelaide Cup.
Group 1 Adelaide Cup (530m)
Best greyhounds nominated. Match Race winner auto entry to final.
Heats September 29, Final October 7.
$100,000 to the winner.
By DAVID BRASCH
DAYLIGHT saving, school holidays, an October timeslot and a Friday night final … that’s been the winning recipe behind the Group 1 Adelaide Cup for the past few years.
“The Adelaide Cup is the only Group 1 race in South Australian greyhound racing but it is a very special event,” said SAGRA racing manager Shaun Mathieson.
If one looks at the quality of dog to have won the Adelaide Cup, legends like Brett Lee and Fernando Bale among them, it proves what a wonderful series it is.
“Remember, Fernando Bale broke the $1 million earning mark when he won the Cup, ” said Mathieson.
The Adelaide Cup had been run in January for much of its history but was moved to October.
“October is perfect,” said Mathieson. “It is always the first Group 1 to be run after the Nationals and that gives it great prestige.
And, we get a great crowd of between 1200 and 1500 for the Friday night race meeting of the final.
“We have to swap with a Victorian meeting to get the Friday night, but it works out well.”
The instigation a few years ago of the Match Race lead-up with automatic entry into the Cup final to the winner, has proved popular.
“Hooked On Scotch won the match race and then won the Cup final,” Mathieson pointed out. “Then Aston Rupee came over and established the new 530 metre track record winning the Match Race last year before running in the Cup.
“The All Stars Match Race will have a change of conditions this year and make it open to all dogs. The Victorian trainers especially seem happy to bypass the Cup heats via the Match Race.”
Mathieson said the January Cup time slot was always in jeopardy with extreme temperatures, especially now with greyhound welfare so much an issue.
“There was always a risk of it being too hot,” said Shaun. “I remember one year when it was 46 degrees.”
The presence of the second 2022 running of the Million Dollar Chase is likely to impact on this year’s Cup series, but as Shaun points out, it is “horses for courses”.
“There are certain races, certain tracks all suiting certain dogs,” he said.
The renovations to the Angle Park complex have been well received by trainers.
“There was some trepidation from trainers over the rise from 515 metres to 530 metres in the sprint distance, but all that has been accepted now,” he said. “The cambers of the surface have come in for much praise.”
Angle Park highlights six-dog racing and works in well, according to Shaun, with eight-dog events on the same program.
“These six-dog races have helped us extend our programs from 10 to 12 races and better wagering has resulted,” he said.
Mathieson said South Australian greyhound racing was watching closely a preferential box draw move in New Zealand.
“We have already looked at it and are keeping a close eye on how well it works in New Zealand,” he said.
“The hardest thing will be establishing each individual dog’s preferred draw.
“I don’t think Aussie punters mind a random box draw. It allows them to work out the chances in a race and bet accordingly.
“The difference in Ireland and England is the outside lure. In Australia, the majority of our dogs head to the rails anyway.”