All In! Five Value Group 1 Sandown Cup Contenders

Zipping Orlando may be favourite for the Group 1 Sandown Cup, but there is plenty of contenders aiming to upstage the country's premier stayer.

Zipping Orlando won the Group 1 Association Cup in April before landing the world's richest stayers race, The 715, in a thriller at The Gardens.

FIELDS AND FORM SANDOWN PARK THURSDAY NIGHT

Those successes have seen the John Finn-trained son of Zipping Garth installed a $4.50 favourite to claim Victoria's premier staying event, and while he deserves favouritism for the series, there is a deep – and very even – field of contenders intent on claiming the $175,000 winner's cheque.

With four heats, the winner and runner-up of each will progress to next week's final, so for those who like to look past the favourite to find some value in the all-in market, here's five contenders worth consideration.

Wynburn Ruby, $9

Race 5, box 4

Trainer: Ben Englund

Since resuming from six months on the sidelines, Wynburn Ruby has been the standout greyhound on the Apple Isle, winning the Launceston Cup before stepping up in distance and smashing two long standing track records – she took six lengths off the Launceston 600m track record, then five lengths off the 720m record a week later. It's a big step up in class coming to the mainland, but she does have the benefit of racing at Sandown previously (she made the Launching Pad semi finals last year), and confidence is a big thing in these races.

Trainer Ben Englund gave Wynburn Ruby a 599m trial in between races in Hobart tonight. She heads to the Sandown Cup heats next week ?? pic.twitter.com/kRRIsDpXTh

— Tasracing Australia (@TasracingAus) May 11, 2023

Alfie Moon, $15

Race 4, box 1

Trainer: Jess Hopkins

To win the final you first must make the final and Alfie Moon is drawn perfectly to do so. Consistency is key to Alfie Moon – from 18 starts over 700m+, he's missed a place just three times including just once from nine starts over the Sandown 715m. He boasts a 3-4-1 record in the red vest and his best time (42.04) over the trip was from this box. He won in 42.12 last time out, and while he will likely need to improve that time to win the final, he's a good show to be there.

Moraine Suzie, $15

Race 5, box 6

Trainer: Brendan Pursell

The group 1 Topgun Stayer champion broke a run of six outs in impressive fashion last time out at The Meadows. She has been hard to catch at times but has been racing the country's best stayers for the last nine months and reached four group 1 finals. The draw is a little awkward but she has a good record this track and distance (4: 3-0-0) and this isn't the most difficult heat.

? SPORTSBET TOPGUN STAYERS

The first reserve MORAINE SUZIE stormed home to win the $121,500 Group 1 @sportsbetcomau #TopgunStayers at @MelbourneGreys for trainer Brendan Pursell.#GreyhoundRacing #DreamChasers pic.twitter.com/ijBlQOcDy1

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) November 5, 2022

Dirt Farmer, $41

Race 3, box 5

Trainer: Tim Britton

Dirt Farmer has proved extremely difficult to beat if he can find the front early, being beaten just once in the seven races in which he's led through the first marker. He lacks consistency at box rise but has carved some slick splits when he's timed the start, and given the lack of speed in his heat he is capable of landing on the outside of favourite and obvious leader Osprey Athena and if he can he's worth an each way ticket in his heat and will be shorter than $41 in the final.

Silver Luck, $31

Race 6, box 1

Trainer: Anthony Lord

Has drawn inside series favourite Zipping Orlando and will need hold him out to factor. A multiple group race finalist, Silver Luck has only won three times in 20 starts over the staying trip but has run second nine times, and second will be good enough to have a live ticket in next week's final.