Five heats of the GRNSW Richmond Straight Cup will be contested on Thursday in Sydney's West, hear from the favourites in each race and find out who The Hound likes to take out the preliminaries.
Rema’s Blue (2) on top for The Hound on the back of a strong runner-up finish to Bernardo Beast two back up the straight. The time of 17.53 was about a length outside her PB but the litter sister to Sooty Keeping is yet to miss the top two in four goes over the 324m at Richmond. Her last race start was a DNF in a heat of the Futurity but she has trialled since and appears to be at full health.
Weffallee Shield (7) is the old marvel that can never be discounted. Turned four in November but he’s already taken out the Wauchope Cup in 2025 and won three of his four starts. Very experienced on the straight track (27: 7-6-4) and ran fifth in the NSW Straight Track Championships back in August.
Typhoon Nev (8) is under the eye of Minnie Finn for the series after being sent down by Johnny Dart. Never raced at Richmond but with his last start coming on January 2, I imagine he’s had a few looks at the track since arriving. Ran second to Bernardo Beast in both the Anniversary Cup heats and final at Capalaba in December and he’s won his last three starts from Box 8.
Give Me Bucks (4) has been racing around the circle at Richmond predominately but has been impressive in his last two wins (combined margin of nine lengths). Spare box alongside him should help.
Ed Foyle (Rema’s Blue) – she hurt her shoulder a bit last time out at Wenty Park and had a bit of soreness but it was nothing serious. After that run at Wenty and her trial, I have some doubts on her first run back. She’ll go straight from Box 2 but the whole litter never jumps really smart. She’s probably a greyhound that needs things to go her own way so I don’t know if she deserves to be favourite.
Sheezel (8) deserves to be favourite after drawing to get an uninterrupted run down the outside. He arrives in NSW in hot form after winning eight of his last 10 starts and he was a National Straight Track finalist in 2024. Narrowly missed a spot in the Healesville Cup final last year as well and is a litter brother to Badger’s Beast who has won 10 of his last 11 for Pete Lagogiane here in NSW.
Raging Zeal (4) is another who will appreciate a spare alley next door because he does shift right once he gets going. He only turned two in November and is still lightly raced but Glenny Goodwin has a decent opinion of him. Has the huge scalp of Bernardo Beast after beating him on Boxing Day, handing him his only loss in nine starts at Richmond. Flying PB of 17.30 will be needed.
Calypso Rogue (6) is a former Vic Peters Classic finalist (2023) who has battled injury ever since. His latest issue kept him off the track from June to December last year but since returning, he has won twice, including a 17.61 effort up the straight. Record at Richmond isn’t fantastic (9: 2-2-1).
Shifty Breeze (3) mixes his racing between the circle and the Capalaba straight where he set a slick PB of 19.54 earlier this year (Bernardo Beast has run 19.48 at Capalaba).
Mario Briganti (Sheezel) -he’s perfectly boxed out wide and I think he’ll run dead straight. I wouldn’t say he’s a wide runner but if he does get drawn inside, he’ll want to get two or three spots up the track. He is one of those dogs who can ride a bump if he needs too though.
He had a trial last week and he went 17.50 something but I think he can 17.20 at his best. His straight track form is pretty good and he is as good a straight dog as you’ll get. Brent Kline is a mad North supporter as well so the dog is named after Harry Sheezel.
Flash Jet (7) is undefeated in seven starts at Richmond and is a big watch. He’s put up times of 17.88, 17.91 and 17.93 (track record is 17.83) and no dog has been within two lengths of him so far. Heads away from the circle for the first time but he’s trained locally so should have experience up the straight. Entire litter is flying so adds real intrigue to series.
History’s Coming (1) adds a different wrinkle to the $25,000 feature. Has been racing in top company for a while now but has struggled with only two wins since September 5. One of those victories was a heat of the Group 1 Dapto Megastar and he is a National Derby winner so brings class. Has had three runs up the straight for a best of 17.44 which would be competitive.
Ruapuke Rocks (4) is a kennelmate of Sheezel and trainer Mario Briganti said this dog would give him a touch up on the circle so that indicates he can certainly run. Like History’s Coming, hasn’t won a lot recently (one victory since August) but was a Victorian National Straight track finalist at Healesville in 2024.
Rema’s Amethyst (3) is a litter sister to The Hounds tip in the opening heat but would need to find a few lengths to feature in this race from a tough draw.
John Grief (Flash Jet) –this will be a test for him. He's going well enough to be there but you're never overly confident in a race like this. I'm really disappointed with the box draw because he will move to the entre of the track. He's had eight starts and still hasn't seen inside Box 4 either which he can handle around the circle, but it's a different ball game up the straight. He's well prepared and we've got a high opinion of him and the rest of the litter, so we'll see how we go.
Canya Untamed (5) returns to the Jason Magri kennel for a crack at this series after racing out of Victoria for the past five months. Started his career up here in NSW though and he was thoroughly dominant doing so, winning seven times in as many starts up the Richmond Straight. He returned to the track on January 9 and won again in a flying PB of 17.35, an ominous warning for his competitors.
Tarawi Buster (4) is a star Queenslander who has won four of his last five starts. His previous two efforts came up the Capalaba Straight and his best run of 19.45 is quicker than Bernardo Beast’s PB up there. Ran in both the QLD Derby and Rising Star series late last year and will be jostling with Canya Untamed for the early lead.
Magic Western (3) is a very lightly raced commodity with just nine starts to his name but has run some good times at Healesville in the lead up. Shane Pulbrook has the training duties while he’s in NSW but feel like he’ll be the meat in the sandwich between some classy runners.
Man Of Zeal (8) is a threat even though he’s been racing in a lower grade because you can’t knock winning form. He’s taken out four of his last five and if he can rip off a repeat of his 17.44 effort from December, he will be in this. Third in Capalaba Cup in October reads well.
Jason Magri (Canya Untamed) -he is a very fast straight dog. I pre-trained him and although he doesn’t go as good on the circle, he flies up the straight. The owners have sent him back to me for this series and he’s been trialling well at Richmond and Appin.
It’s a hard race and he’s boxed in the middle, so if he can come out and get going, he’ll be hard to beat. I’d rather him in the eight with room to move to be honest. I think the Queensland dog, Tarawi Buster goes good, as does Glen Goodwin’s dog. And Minnie has Gets Late Early who is a threat.
Calla Axel (8) is the best graded dog in the race and his Richmond Straight form is very good. 16 starts for six wins and eight minors, with six of those defeats coming at the hands of Bernardo Beast and Raging Zeal. Almost raced exclusively up the straight and his win last week was dominant in 17.57. His best effort of 17.38 makes him a dog to beat in the series but trainer Sam Simonetta made some interesting comments on his charge below…
All Powered Up (6) ran within four lengths of Bernardo Beast two and three back and that’s the form line we obviously like heading into the series. Has only missed the frame once in 15 starts at Richmond and does usually produce good splits early in his races.
Viliame (7) might need to emulate his namesake (Viliame Kikau) and barge his way through traffic in the early exchanges of this race if he’s to qualify for the final. His form is very strong over the last month with two wins and two minors and he has claimed 10 races out of 20 starts up the straight.
Might Have Been (1) is a star on the circle…but up the straight? Minnie Finn reckons both he and littermate Gets Late Early will go well and she would know better than me. Last seen in November over 603m at Gosford so this would be a handy training effort if he can get through.
Sam Simonetta (Calla Axel) -he’s already got the runs on the board but the late race won’t help him. He brained them last week in an early race but he doesn’t like sitting around in the kennels and waiting to run.
I give him a hope of winning his heat but I don’t know whether he can win the whole thing. He comes out great up the straight though and he’s well boxed out wide. He’s still not even two so I’ve kept him ticking over for this race and he’ll step up around the circle next. But for now, we’ll have a go at this and pray.
The winner of each heat of the GRNSW Richmond Straight Cup, as well as the three fastest second-placed greyhounds from each race, will qualify for the January 30 final, worth $25,000 to the winner.
