Phoenix Dream Burns Brightly For Azzopardi

A faultless preparation and perfect box one draw has premier trainer Anthony Azzopardi confident his young gun Pass The Buck is ready to unleash in Saturday night's The Phoenix (525m) at The Meadows.

"Now it's just a matter of whether he's good enough," Azzopardi said.

"But we wouldn't be here if we didn't think he was.

"Everything has been spot on in the lead up and the box is obviously a big advantage in a race like this as well. But he's got to use it and get off that mat first.

"That's where he can win it, or lose it. He has to lead."

Set to turn two-years-of-age on Thursday, Pass The Buck goes into The Phoenix as both the youngest and least experienced runner in the $1.65m showpiece.

As did two-time The Phoenix champion Wow She's Fast when annexing the inaugural running of the race in 2021 at just start seven when 22 months of age.

"What do they say – if you're good enough you're old enough," Azzopardi quipped.

"I think sometimes it can almost work in your favour being the young bull. He's the up and comer on the way through with hopefully it all ahead of him. 

"But it's a great field with some amazing greyhounds so just to be considered amongst them is a privilege."

For Azzopardi, who has no less than 12 group 1 triumphs beside his name – including victories in races the ilk of the Melbourne and Australian Cup – he has watched on in envy as a spectator in the first two editions of The Phoenix.

"It's a race that's really hit the heights very quickly," he added.

"And that has a lot to do with the nature of the race. Vying for spots, trying to put your best foot forward, all the jostling and negotiations.

"But at the end of the day it comes down to what the slot-holders decide, they are the ones stumping up the money ($100,000).

"Everyone has an opinion of who should and shouldn't be there which really adds to the interest. It's great for the sport and only going to get bigger."

In the matter of just a few weeks, Pass The Buck has gone from a relative unknown in The Phoenix discussions to now sharing equal favouritism for the $1 million-to-the-winner event.

And that's due to slot-holder TAB taking a leap of faith with the emerging star which has hit the ground running with eight dazzling wins in 10 career starts.

Remarkably, since the emergence of slot races following the advent of The Everest in thoroughbred racing, TAB are yet to pass the post first, despite being huge supporters of events across all three-codes.

"It'd be fantastic to win it for TAB because they did stick their neck out a bit – they've been amazing to work with," Azzopardi said.

"It was a no-brainer"

Nathan Grech from @tabcomau breathed a huge sigh of relief when PASS THE BUCK was the 1st marble drawn at this morning's #ThePhoenix Box Draw, w/ trainer Anthony Azzopardi selecting Box 1

FREE gen admission tix to @MelbourneGreys @ https://t.co/EWzBl5gLez pic.twitter.com/QMSh2AlLrS

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) December 10, 2023

"And it'd be also great to win the race for Darren and Michael (breeder, owners) … they're great friends and great supporters of mine.

"After the dog hurt himself in the Great Chase I thought our hopes were probably dashed of getting here but his trials coming back were as good as ever and that kept the dream alive.

"Right the way through I've said to TAB we wouldn't put our hand up if we thought we'd be making up the numbers and I'm going there Saturday night knowing the dog is spot on.

"He had his final-out out at The Meadows on Monday which I was really happy with and everything for the past six weeks has been about having him ready for Saturday night.

"It's all up to him now."