State Against State: Origin Teams Decided

HE has become the rising star of NSW greyhound racing, and on the back of a stunning Group 2 victory, Jungle Deuce has been selected to ‘anchor' the NSW team in the TAB State Of Origin series next Thursday night at Albion Park.

NSW selectors settled on their team following Thursday night's feature race meeting at Albion Park, and following his brilliant win in the Group 2 Flying Amy Classic, there was no hesitation in selecting the Jack Smith-trained rising star as their representative in the Match Race.

The importance of the Origin Match Race cannot be underplayed.

In the last State Of Origin in 2019, NSW won the staying event and Queensland the sprint, and it was down to the Match Race to decide the series winner.

And in a jubilant victory for NSW and their coach Terry Hill, it was coincidentally another Jack Smith-trained greyhound, Feral Franky, which won the event, securing the shield for the Blues.

Jungle Deuce will clash with Extra Malt which was the Queensland selection for the Match Race, but a suitable two dog field, and on the back of his stunning all the way 29.54s record Flying Amy win, NSW look to have the perfect anchor in the series if the event needs a tie-breaker next Thursday night.

For the Origin Sprint, NSW has selected four of its best led by Peter Lagogiane's TAB Million Dollar Chase winner Handsome Prince which returned to winning form at Albion Park on Thursday night.

In his first start since March and only his third since that memorable October night when he became a millionaire, Handsome Prince takes his place for NSW along with Golden Easter Egg runner-up Wow which trialled in 29.84s at Albion Park on Thursday night.

Richmond Derby winner Incapacitated also gets a start in the Origin Sprint as does Bob Payne winner Zipping Kyrgios, rounding out the team to represent the Blues.

Queensland have selected Farmor Beach, a semi-finalist in last year's Million Dollar Chase, Richmond Oaks winner Crazy Cool, as well as Limited Edition and Orchestrate for the Origin Sprint.

In the Origin Distance event, NSW will be represented by Zipping Niseko which took out the Listed Dashing Corsair at Albion Park on Thursday, Barsandi which finished third in the same event, and kennelmates Classy Ethics and Prim And Proper.

The locals will send Maggie Moo Moo, Micks Recall, Smart Lilly, and Pump It to the boxes for the Origin Distance (710m) event.