Four semi-finals of the Ladbrokes Thunderbolt are slated for Sunday evening at the Grafton Greyhound Racing Club, with the top two from each race qualifying for the $75,000 decider on June 22.
Here’s our full preview and best bets for each race:
Brute Banner (1) may have only run third in his heat of the Thunderbolt at Wagga Wagga but it was behind two handy types in Mashle Wave and Agent Chevrolet. That effort came from an unfavourable Box 5 draw but now he gets the red where his record is almost perfect (4: 3-1-0). He had won two on the bounce prior to that defeat at Wagga Wagga, with both runs BON efforts. Brute Banner is the youngest dog in the race but is out of the same litter as noted speedsters Boston Banner, Tulsi Banner and Sergis Banner.
Hardaway Chicago (5) is a dog in form after two straight wins at Bulli, with his heat victory a real eye catcher over 340m last Tuesday (replay below). The Ronnie Marsden-trained chaser got shuffled back to near last not long after box rise and gave 2023 Thunderbolt finalist Running Reds half a dozen lengths head start. He breezed up to them once he found clear air though and was strong as an ox through the line which holds him in good stead for the big Grafton circuit. Expect him to give them a start before powering home.
Dino Way (7) is the only dog in this field with Grafton experience. He’s raced eight times over the 350m journey for five wins and two minors. He’s coming off a great heat win where he jumped from Box 8 and had to circle the field before powering home for a 19.91 victory. His PB of 19.83 certainly makes him appealing and his Box 7 stats (6: 2-3-0) are decent enough. Seems to prefer outside draws at Grafton with all five wins at the Thunderbolt distance coming from either Box 5 or wider.
And Harmony Fire (2) ran a big race at Goulburn a week ago behind kennelmate Wiradjuri Jack, with trainer Neil Staines admitting post-race she was underdone and should take great improvement from the performance after being off the track for three weeks. She’s a littermate to Tootsie Tears, Fire Lighter and Battle Tears who are all better over further so she’ll like the long Grafton straight and Box 2 brings her into calculations.
Marlee Star (5) has drawn to the advantage of her biggest rivals but she’ll have to overcome a tricky draw to salute. Belted them up in his Richmond heat (replay below), winning by five lengths and running 0.01 outside the BON time set by Zip Out Zipper. The kennel did the hard yards and took him up to Grafton a few weeks ago to give him a look at the track and although the time was moderate (20.01), he won with a leg in the air and was first up after six weeks away from racing.
Running Reds (7) returns for another crack at the $75,000 prize after running sixth in last year’s final behind Vamoose. He’s the only greyhound to have contested two heats of the series to qualify, with a second at Bulli behind Hardaway Chicago followed by a second at Dubbo last Saturday night. Blessed with good early pace which puts him in every race but he might be wobbling late over the Grafton 350m considering he hasn’t won a race over that trip since Thunderbolt semi-final night last year. Box 7 stats read well (7: 4-1-0) and seems to want to use a bit of the track.
Pure Silver (1) didn’t blow the hands off the clock at Goulburn last Friday (20.19) but he did miss the start by a length and the track was given a slow rating due to the adverse weather around the State. Has raced mainly over the 350m and 440m at Goulburn this year and has had success at both distances, with the prized rails draw sure to help a young dog having his first race at the Grafton track.
Mashle Wave (8) held off a fast-finishing Agent Chevrolet in the Wagga Wagga preliminary back on May 31 and has been kept fresh for semi-final night. Box 8 looks tricky on paper with Running Reds drawn underneath and likely to push up the track, but that pair’s best chance might be scooting around the outside of a bunched field as they run through the first bend. Yet to miss the top two in three starts from the pink and has run in the quinella in his last six starts.
Cash On Delivery (8) is on an unbelievable 13 win streak that dates back to September last year. All but one of those wins came in South Australia but his last start victory was at Grafton in the heats on Sunday and the time of 19.80 was the BON. He was a clear leader after 50m in that run, leaving the likes of track record holder Rushforth Ally and Group 2 winner Nangar Jim in his dust as he surged away for a dominant win for trainer Cam Forshaw. Immense Box 8 record (11: 7-2-1) and only needs to hold his form to be hard to beat again.
Following a few key scratching’s, Short And Stumpy (9) comes into the race as the first reserve and will only be better for the run at Grafton last Sunday (replay below). She was a $1.90 favourite for her heat but once she copped a check in the run to the first bend, she was always going to struggle to reel in the speedy Hit The Switch. The time of 20.17 was only average but she’s too good a dog to write her off and considering she’s won or placed in 32 of her 33 starts, I think she’s a real chance (especially if she draws Box 2 or 3).
He’s A Dazzler (7) will probably be giving Cash On Delivery and Short And Stumpy starts but watch for him late as he does tend to enjoy more ground. The Brett Moore-trained runner hasn’t raced at Grafton and has had 22 of his 26 starts over 400m or more. He’s still a fourth grade greyhound so he’s racing up in class but last week’s heat win at The Gardens was electric and the fastest of the four preliminaries.
And Canya Supersonic (4) was a strong winner at Richmond over a week ago as she beat home talented types Badger’s Beast, Laurie’s Alonso and 2023 finalist Speeding Fine. Brad Barnes trialled her at Grafton on Sunday in a time of 20.02, with the first two section splits of 3.94 and 14.51 not too far outside the times of Cash On Delivery (3.97 and 14.43).
Zip Out Zipper (4) was another who trialled on Sunday and ran 3.98 and 14.95 on her way to a 19.93 effort (replay below). She was a superb winner in her Richmond heat over the highly fancied Sicario Beast and ran a BON time of 17.94 in the process. The Jason Magri-trained sprinter has been extremely versatile in her 16 career starts, with wins at Gosford, The Gardens, Maitland and Richmond and she’s drawn well between speedy beginner Petrichor (3) and Agent Chevrolet (5) who is slower away.
Bumpy Gold (2) is also drawn well but does she have the explosive early pace to make the most of it? Her two starts at Grafton so far suggest maybe not, but the Victorian has had two looks at the track already and should be used to the silent lure third up. Anthony Azzopardi is a master of preparing a dog for an interstate feature and after claiming the Goulburn Fireball with Packham Silk last year, could he take out the Thunderbolt with Bumpy Gold?
Johnny Red (1) is a beauty for John Miles and Sue Smith and with the aid of the plumb Box 1 draw (11: 4-4-1) and a liking for the Grafton 350m (5: 2-1-1), he could well and truly find himself in back-to-back Thunderbolt finals. A 25-time winner from 59 career starts, he qualified after winning at Richmond last week in a time of 18.08. The kennel did some hard yards through May by travelling to Grafton on three separate occasions to give Johnny Red a few looks at the track, and although he failed to break 20.00 in any of those runs, he’s a tough campaigner who can’t be written off.
Dominic’s Girl (7) won and won well at Bulli in a time of 19.18 to bring up her fifth win in her last six starts for Vic Sultana. Box 7 in a field like this will be interesting but she did trial at Grafton on Sunday and used a bit of the track so it might not be the end of the world. Her trial splits were quick - 4.01, 14.51 and 19.94 – so despite being the youngest runner in the semi-finals, she could surprise.
