DUAL Wentworth Park record holder Jungle Johnny is through to the final of the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase but the big talking point from Friday's Wentworth Park semi-finals was Cranebrook trainer Minnie Finn securing an unprecedented 50 per cent of the field for the $1 million to the winner final.
Finn won the first semi-final with Winsome Jet in 29.34, took out the second with Shaq Keeping in 29.48 then won the seventh and eighth semis with Pound Keeping in 29.25, fastest of the night, and with Hey Arnold in 29.46.
Jungle Johnny, pre-post favourite for Friday night's final, won by four lengths in 29.39, well outside his most recent track record figures of 28.86 posted on July 18.
But his run was full of merit as he began only fairly from box four and gave tearaway leader Absconding a big start in the early stages before hitting the front leaving the back straight.
Before Friday's meeting Minnie Finn surprisingly declared the moderately performed Shaq Keeping as her best chance and the dog, who contested a fourth and fifth grade at Wentworth Park three weeks ago, finished brilliantly along the rails to edge out Taw Galaxy.
Shaq Keeping was a $6 chance despite Finn's pre-race confidence when she said: "This dog had a couple of falls early in his career and lost his confidence.”
"But he has got that back completely and has flown in a couple of box-to-box trials I have given him recently.”
Winsome Jet's win came as a slight surprise for Finn, who said "Although he had won five races at Wenty I have never thought it was his favourite track.”
"But tonight he got a lovely run down the outside of the field from his box seven draw to lead at the first turn and he is always strong at the end of 520m.”
Pound Keeping notched her 10th win in 15 Wentworth Park appearances, setting the semi-final time standard of 29.25 when she led throughout from Zipping Aladdin.
Hey Arnold, who won the group 2 Black Top at The Gardens in race record time on September 26, gave Finn four of the eight Million Dollar Chase finalists.
Peter Lagogiane, the most successful trainer in Million Dollar Chase history, will be seeking his third winner after taking out a semi-final on Friday with Magical Ang in 29.59.
Magical Ang, who is part-owned by Lagogiane's long-time client George Kairouz and former champion jockey "Miracle" Malcolm Johnston, trailed Promote Tilly to the turn then held off Stop And Stare to score by a neck.
After the race Lagogiane, who won the Million Dollar Chase finals in 2018 with Mystic Riot and with Handsome Prince two years later, said "I'm more than surprised, I'm utterly shocked because Magical Ang had won 11 races before tonight but has never run down a rival to score.”
"She has always had to lead to win, so I certainly wasn't confident during tonight's semi-final.”
"But then again I was not expecting to win the 2018 final with Mystic Riot or the 2020 final with Handsome Prince so who knows?"
Melbourne Cup winner Canya Mayhem was a distant third in his Million Dollar Chase qualifying heat but secured a start from first reserve status in Friday's fourth semi-final and came from second on the turn to beat pacemaker Spencer Banner by a half head in 29.38.
She's A Pearl and trainer Jodie Lord won the 2022 Million Dollar Chase and Fearless Bandit, a son of She's A Pearl and trained out of Lord's kennel at Gunning, qualified for Friday night's final by running down Nangar Rookie in 29.52.
NSW's top stayer Magpie Hector recorded a personal best 41.47 winning his heat of the group two Sydney Cup on Friday night while Queenslander Beautiful Child led throughout in the other heat in 41.64.
Beautiful Child won on debut at Wentworth Park in 41.93 on October 3 and after Friday's Cup heat, trainer Michael McGrath said "I've only been training greyhounds for 30 months, so this is a great thrill.”
"I was working in the mines when I owned greyhounds which were with well know trainer John Dart, and after one of them did no good John suggested I have a crack at training them myself.”
"Since quitting the mines, I am still a hobby trainer as I own a pest control company with a staff 15.”
Beautiful Child has drawn box six in Friday night's Wentworth Park final while Magpie Hector has drawn seven.
