Azzopardi “Overjoyed” With Great Chase Success

ANTHONY Azzopardi enjoyed one of the most satisfying victories of his career when All Spritzed Up won the Group 3 Great Chase at The Meadows on Wednesday afternoon.

But it wasn't the nature of rising star All Spritzed Up's victory, nor the $47,000 winner's cheque that put the biggest smile on the Melbourne Cup winner's face.

The Great Chase pairs organisations that care and support people with intellectual and physical disabilities with greyhounds through the series.

More than $58,000 was distributed in the 2022 series including $10,000 to The Support People, the organisation aligned to All Spritzed Up, taking the total raised to more than $750,000 since the series was first run in 2003.

"It's a great race to win," Azzopardi said.

"He's the star of the series!"

All Spritzed up wins the G3 Great Chase for ‘The Support People' pic.twitter.com/nMy6yrhbKn

— Melbourne Greyhounds – The Meadows (@MelbourneGreys) October 19, 2022

"But you know what, the lady from The Support People – to see the appreciation on her face for what the $10,000 can do to support the work they do, it was just great to see. I was so happy for her to win it.

"After seeing what I saw today, it really makes me think this is one of the best initiatives out there, it was terrific to be honest.

"From the start of the day to the end of the day, we had a ball. It was a good day out there – not because we won it – it was just a great day out.

"An A+ for GRV for the series."

All Spritzed Up arrived in Azzopardi's Rowsley kennel in September having won five consecutive races for owner/breeder Scott James, who offered the dog to Azzopardi to train with his commitments as curator at the Ballarat club.

After running a close second in a heat of the Great Chase at Sandown on debut for his new kennel, he won his semi final at The Meadows in brilliant fashion, leading all of the way to win 29.78.

All Spritzed Up takes out the 2022 Group 3 Great Chase Final for Anthony Azzopardi and the Scott James syndicate!

A massive congratulations to The Support People who were the community group associated with the winner, earning themselves $10,000 ? pic.twitter.com/TwJWKVUhoA

— Melbourne Greyhounds – The Meadows (@MelbourneGreys) October 19, 2022

He didn't step as well in the final however and was squeezed between Like An Arrow and Elite Alex approaching the first turn. He let down strongly down the back straight before running down Like An Arrow in the home straight a scoring in 29.88.

The nature of the win has Azzopardi daring to dream of some of the country's biggest races.

"He had to work hard today, he did really well I'm very happy," he continued.

"I'm going to sit down and figure it out (where he'll go next). The Melbourne Cup is in my mind, but to be honest I'm not sure.

"He's only a young dog. It's a fine line, I don't want push them too hard yet, but to be honest I'm leaning towards the Melbourne Cup. I don't want him sitting in the kennel while he's running hot, I want to keep him going. We'll just have to play it by ear."

The next Melbourne Cup Prelude series will be run at Sandown Park on Thursday 27 October.