Mellcat Big Boy “Flying” Ahead Of Goulburn Cup

A Goulburn Cup win would mean a lot to Wingello trainer John Mellon who rugs up former track record holder Mellcat Big Boy in the heats of the $40,000-to-the-winner feature on Friday.

Wingello is half-an-hour east of Goulburn and Mellon has been a long-time sponsor of the Goulburn Greyhound Racing Club.

"It's a race I'd love to win," Mellon said. "This is my home track and I don't know that I'll ever get a better chance than this year."

Mellcat Big Boy is a 37-kilo monster by Raw Ability and the dog was the former 440m track record holder when he stopped the clock at 24.26 seconds in April last year at just his fourth start.

His Goulburn time standard was eclipsed by Wow in July last year when the star chaser recorded 24.18.

Mellon said Mellcat Big Boy is back somewhere near his best after his preparations for the Million Dollar Chase series hit a few hurdles in the lead-up.

"Things didn't go to plan," he said.

Last week, John Mellon said 'bring on' the final – and Mellcat Big Boy definitely brought it, taking the Bulli @tabcomau #MillionDollarChase Regional Final in a scorching 25.87 from He's Grand and Sonic Oak.

Go the big boy!

Full Results: https://t.co/IAJRDQnnuK#thedogs #MDC pic.twitter.com/J8vflFC9Og

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) August 16, 2022

"I had bitches on the property come on season, we've only got two acres here and we couldn't send them anywhere, his bloods we're out a bit and it's taken a bit to correct that.

"If it had been a normal race I probably would have scratched him but it was a heat of the Million Dollar Chase.

"I wouldn't have run him if it was going to hurt him but I knew in my heart the dog wasn't 100 per cent.

"Since then, I've freshened him up, went to Goulburn last week over the 350 and he did the job.

"He's spot on now."

Mellcat Big Boy has drawn box eight in the first of four heats of the Goulburn Cup and he needs to finish first or second to progress into next week's rich final.

"I'm pretty confident going into this week," Mellon said. "It's a good race, Yuko Girl is a Group 1 dog, and Spring Meteor is a fast up-and-comer.

"I don't want to sound disrespectful to the other dogs but they'll want to be on their toes to beat this dog on Friday.

"Box eight guarantees him clear air so it suits him.

"He's really firing."