$5000 Buy Causes Group 3 Chief Havoc Cup Upset

RANK outsider Aussie Zac gave Tamworth trainer Mark Craig and owners Nick Majer and Steve McPhee their first Group success when winning the Group 3 Chief Havoc Cup (527m) at Gunnedah on Sunday night.

The $5000 Victorian purchase took his record to seven wins and 10 placings and stakes of $55,000 with the all-the-way victory.

"It was a very even final," Craig said. "What won the race to the first turn was always going to be hard to beat.

"Luckily it was us."

Aussie Zac (Aussie Infrared-Morticia) scored by five lengths over Out Of Style with Player One in third.

While the winner started at $26, Mark, Nick and Steve gave him a chance in the final.

"We took him to Wenty early in April and thought he was a chance at big odds," the trainer added.

Mark Craig was a jubilant winner of the @ladbrokescomau Chief Havoc Cup at Gunnedah tonight.

Here's what he had to say after Aussie Zac claimed the $40,000 feature…#thedogs #greyhoundracing pic.twitter.com/yxVO7sTSnk

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) June 8, 2025

"He was in front at the first turn but hurt himself. It's been a rush to have him right for this race.

"He was a bit underdone in the heat and we knew he would improve. He's hit and miss at the start, but thankfully he began great tonight."

Aussie Zac was a Steve McPhee "find", picking him out as a prospective Coonamble Carnival hopeful when bought for $5000 from the David Geall kennel.

"We bought him as a short course sprinter, but he's getting more strength as he gets more racing," said Mark, who has been training greyhounds on and off for 25 years.

"I'm bred in the purple to be a greyhound trainer," he said.

"Most of my family have been involved in the game."

Immediate plans for Aussie Zac are to head back to Wentworth Park.

"It's an enormous thrill for us to win this race," Craig beamed.

"Nick came up from Sydney for the final, while Steve lives on the border with Victoria. It's our first Group race."