Albion Park still the focus of national greyhound calendar

June 28, 2023

Caption: Trainer Tony Brett and handler Sarah Johnson with star visitor during the Brisbane Winter Carnival, Postman Pat (Photo: Box 1 Photography)

Each week Chase News’ MIKE HILL previews the major upcoming greyhound race events that will be happening across Australia.

THE cream of the nation’s sprinters will descend on Albion Park on Thursday night in search of the richest prize in Brisbane greyhound racing history.

Seven mouth-watering heats of the first-ever $1 million Group 1 Brisbane Cup (520m) look certain to have punters and lovers of the sport on an adrenaline high.

And all heats are chock-full of talent.

Some of the best sprinters from interstate as well as Queensland’s elite will be striving to qualify for next week’s $650,000-to-the-winner final.

And connoisseurs of distance racing have not been forgotten with five competitive heats of stayers chasing the $175,000 on offer for victory in next week’s G1 Queensland Cup (710m).

Melbourne’s Sandown Park will host heats of the G2 McKenna Memorial (595m) on Thursday night, while Sydney’s Wentworth Park launches a pair of G1s – the Peter Mossman Opal (520m) and Vic Peters Memorial (520m) series – with heats on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Bendigo has programmed a series of Listed events – the Winter Cup 660m (heats Friday) and the Prospector 425m and the Roses 425m (heats on Sunday) – with finals next week.

Wednesday, June 28:

Albion Park, Brisbane: Listed Mick Byrne Memorial (520m) heats.
Albion Park, Brisbane: Listed Carnival Masters (520m) heats.
Taree: The Squizzy Final (392m) – $15,000 to the winner.

Thursday, June 29:

Albion Park, Brisbane: Group 1 Brisbane Cup (520m) heats.
Albion Park, Brisbane: Group 1 Queensland Cup (710m) heats.
Dapto: Dapto Silver Collar – $10,000 to the winner.
Sandown Park, Melbourne: Group 2 McKenna Memorial heats (595m).
Hobart: Ronald McDonald House Charity Cup (461m) – $13,785.

Friday, June 30:

Traralgon: Floodfawn Classic Final (500m) – $10,000 to the winner.
Traralgon: Glenview Cup Final (395m) – $10,000 to the winner.
Bendigo: Winter Cup heats (660m).

Saturday, July 1:

Wentworth Park, Sydney: Group 1 Peter Mossman Opal heats (520m).
Wentworth Park, Sydney: Group 1 Vic Peters heats (520m).
Cannington, Perth: Listed The Westchase heats (520m).

Sunday, July 2:

Bendigo: Listed Prospector heats (425m).
Bendigo: Listed Bendigo Roses heats (425m).
Bendigo: Listed GRV Vic-Bred Maiden Series heats (425m).
Grafton: Listed Grafton Maiden Classic heats (450m).

Tuesday July 4:

Ipswich: QGOLD final (520m).

Wednesday July 5:

Grafton: Sprinters Cup heats (450m).

Thursday July 6:

Sandown Park, Melbourne: Group 2 McKenna Memorial final (595m) – $55,000 to the winner.

Friday, July 7:

Albion Park, Brisbane: Listed Mick Byrne Memorial final (520m) – $16,000 to the winner.
Albion Park, Brisbane: Listed Carnival Masters final (520m) – $30,000 to the winner.
Albion Park, Brisbane: Group 1 Brisbane Cup final (520m) – $650,000 to the winner.
Albion Park, Brisbane: Group 1 Brisbane Cup Consolation A (520m) – $75,000 to the winner.
Albion Park, Brisbane: Group 1 Brisbane Cup Consolation B (520m) – $30,000 to the winner.
Albion Park, Brisbane: Group 1 Queensland Cup final (710m) – $175,000 to the winner.
Bendigo: Listed Prospector final (425m) – $22,500.
Bendigo: Listed Bendigo Roses final (425m) – $22,500.
Bendigo: Listed GRV Vic-Bred Maiden Series final (425m) – $22,500.
Bendigo: Bendigo Winter Cup final (660m) – $15,250.

Saturday, July 8:

Wentworth Park, Sydney: Group 1 Peter Mossman Opal final (520m) – $75,000 to the winner.
Wentworth Park, Sydney: Group 1 Vic Peters final (520m) – $75,000 to the winner.
Cannington, Perth: Listed The Westchase final (520m) – $19,950 to the winner.

Sunday, July 9: