Six Group 1 Winners Headline Topgun Field

CHAMPION trainer Jason Thompson will take a three-pronged attack into his bid for a record fifth Group 1 Topgun title at The Meadows on Saturday week.

The select field of eight was announced on Friday morning with Thompson represented by individual group 1 winners Explicit, Excavation and Flying Zulu.

Heading the market for the $150,000-to-the-winner invitation is superstar Explicit which returned to winning form with a slashing 28.97 victory in a prelude of the Melbourne Cup at Sandown Park on Thursday night.

The son of Bernardo, winner of the Group 1 Temlee earlier in the year, is joined in the race by kennelmates Excavation and Flying Zulu which cemented their spots with respective wins in the Group 1 Adelaide and Brisbane Cups.

Joining the Thompson trio in the race is fellow group 1 winning Victorian trained chasers Morton and Hector Fawley while another Victorian, Blue Kermaro, locked away a spot with his recent heroics in the Million Dollar Chase in Sydney.

Adding further spice to the race is the appearance of NSW stars Good Odds Cobber and Zipping Megatron.

Zipping Megatron takes his place on the strength of second place finishes in the Golden Easter Egg and Million Dollar Chase while Good Odds Cobber, a recent MDC finalist, was a winner of the G1 Dapto Megastar last month, one of three group race successes in 2024.

The all important box draw for the Group 1 showpiece, widely dubbed the ‘Cox Plate Of Greyhound Racing' will be conducted at The Meadows on Saturday night.

The field for the Topgun Stayers (730m) was also revealed with Valpolicella, Exploded, Aunt Virginia, Ritza Piper, Ethanol Water, Ella's Babe, Drill Sergeant and Red Dirt Road to line-up in the $75,000-to-the-winner event. 

Exploded heads betting on the back of his rich vein of form including his recent victory in the Sydney Cup (720m) where he defeated Ella's Babe in an epic two-dog battle.

Also set to take her place is defending Topgun Stayers champion Ritza Piper and million dollar winning Queensland starlet Valpolicella.