Group Race Extravaganza Gets Underway At Sandown

THURSDAY night kicks off a huge two months of racing at Sandown Park and the team at the Greyhound Recorder will be there every step of the way to find that all important winner.

In conjunction with Greyhound Racing Victoria, we will be coming to you each Thursday through May and June with tips and trainer insights … with some fun and frivolity thrown in along the way as well.

Each week the feature event in the GR8 Eight series – including three group 1 finals – will be staged as race six on the program getting underway at 7.52pm.

This week's feature event is an absorbing 715 metre contest where pre-post Sandown Cup favourite Mister Harlewood looks set to continue on his merry winning way.

Trained by Jeff Britton, Mister Harlewood has been in tremendous form since switching to the distance journey last month, scoring in outstanding fashion on two occasions at Sandown before switching to The Meadows on Saturday night for another equally devastating win.

On Thursday night the 14-time winner takes another stride forward in class, tackling group 1 winners Here's Tears and True Detective, along with 2019 Sandown Cup runner-up Ella Enchanted.

The son of Worm Burner is $1.85 favourite with TAB to extend that winning streak on Thursday night, just a fortnight out from the Group 1 Sandown Cup heats where he's a rock solid $5 pre-post series elect.

"Since he's stepped up to the staying ranks he's had trouble free runs rolling along in front, it's been good," trainer Jeff Britton offered.

"He's pulling up really well after each run. I was curious after the first one as you never quite know how they'll cope but he's been great. He's pulled well again after Saturday's win and is spot on for Thursday night."

BET WITH TAB

Four heats of the $50,000 to-the-winner Group 1 Sapphire Crown will also be run and won at Sandown this Thursday night where the $5 pre-post series favourite is Australia's premier female sprinter Black Opium.

A four-time group 1 runner-up, Black Opium takes her place in heat three from box three on Thursday night, installed by TAB as the firm $1.95 favourite.

Trained by Jason Thompson, Black Opium scored in a blinding 29.33 at Sandown last Thursday to round out her Sapphire Crown preparations, the event seen by most as her best chance of cracking it for an elusive group 1 triumph.

So buckle in for a huge night of greyhound action, the first to go at 6.04pm AESTD.

FIELDS, FORM & BEST PRICES HERE

MICHAEL FLOYD SELECTS:

RACE 1: 3,8,7,6

RACE 2: 5,4,2,6

RACE 3: 6,1,8,5

RACE 4: 1,5,8,4

RACE 5: 3,2,1,7

RACE 6: 2,6,7,3

RACE 7: 3,5,1,8

RACE 8: 1*, 6,5,3

RACE 9: 10,9,7,4

RACE 10: 2,1,6,3

RACE 11: 1,6,3,4

RACE 12: 3,1,5,8

BET WITH TAB

JASON ADAMS SELECTS:

RACE 1: 3-5-2-8

RACE 2: 2-4-5-6

RACE 3: 6-1-5-3

RACE 4: 2-1-5-8

RACE 5: 3-1-2-6

RACE 6: 2-3-1-8

RACE 7: 8-2-3-1

RACE 8: 1-6-3-5

RACE 9: 10-7-4-3

RACE 10: 5-2-1-7

RACE 11: 1-2-5-4

RACE 12: 5-3-4-1