Western Sydney Takes Million Dollar Chase By Storm

THE strength of greyhound racing in Western Sydney will be on full display at Sydney's Wentworth Park this Saturday night when the Ladbrokes-sponsored Million Dollar Chase Final (520m) is run and won on what promises to be a momentous night for greyhound racing.

Whilst Victoria is well-represented by four runners in the $1 million to-the-winner showpiece, with Seona and Jason Thompson boasting a trio of finalists, while Andrea Dailly will line-up one, Western Sydney is well and truly to the fore, with each of the four NSW-trained runners from the Hawkesbury region.

Sky Wave for Vic Sultana (Londonderry), Mystic Riot for Jodie Lagogiane (Llandilo) and kennelmates Jamella Jet and Big Butters for Andrew Crouch (South Windsor) are each set to ply their trade in the finale this Saturday night, following their ultra-impressive semi-final wins on Friday night.

Betting for the $1 million final currently has fastest semi-final winner Poke The Bear at $2.80 ahead of Sky Wave at $3.80, with the third line of betting Benali (2^nd reserve) and Mystic Riot at $4.80.

Liberty Lee Scratched From Meteor

In a cruel blow for Dennis and Betty Keene, their bonnie chaser Liberty Lee has been scratched from Saturday night's $100,000 to-the-winner Ladbrokes Masters Meteor Final (520m) with injury.

Appearing all over a winner in her heat last Wednesday week, the 24-race winning daughter of El Grand Senor was run down in moderate time, giving connections plenty of cause for concern in the aftermath.

Airborne in recent months for Dennis and Betty, at full health Liberty Lee would have been a force to be reckoned with in Saturday night's decider, and passing up the opportunity to race for such extraordinary prizemoney with injury is a real bitter blow. Let's hope for a speedy recovery.

Real Simple Lands Adelaide Cup

JASON and Seona Thompson's affinity with the Group 1 Adelaide Cup only heightened on Friday night with relative kennel newcomer Real Simple leading all-the-way in the $75,000 to-the-winner event.

Winner of the Listed Ultra Sense Final (520m) at Wentworth Park on Easter Saturday for then trainer Neil Staines, the Yass conditioner enjoying 17 wins with the well-bred son of Collision before his transfer to Victoria, Real Simple gave nothing else a chance in Friday night's Cup decider, defeating a gallant Bogie Bullet by a length in 29.69.

Whilst it wasn't a vintage Adelaide Cup, robbed of star power with the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase being staged, Real Simple's effort to land SA's flagship event was full of merit and he is well worth following through the Spring riches in Melbourne.

His record now stands at 22 wins from 51 starts with stake-earnings of $132,000.

Summers Hits The Spot at Healesville

Racing in the early timeslot on a Sunday morning at Healesville can sometimes fly under the radar but an effort well worth recognising was trainer Gary Summers' winning treble at the weekend.

Landing the trio of wins with kennel and littermates (Shelbourne Aston x Make Do) Shelbourne Star, Shelbourne Flyer and Shelbourne Bezza, what made Summers' deeds even more meritorious was the fact he only rugged up three runners on the day.

Whilst each were impressive in their own right, Shelbourne Flyer continues to show a lot in his brief career to date, now boasting the three wins and four placings from just the eight starts.