Final Topgun Field To Prove Most Fascinating

THE countdown is on to a fascinating Group 1 Topgun at The Meadows on Saturday, November 9.

While the race itself will no doubt prove to be an absolute blockbuster, the discussions around the composition of the final field for the $150,000 to-the-winner invitation should be as equally intriguing.

Over the years, the Topgun has been known to have dished up a controversial selection or omission here and there. Reasonable, given the nature of the business and what's at stake.

Friendships have been lost, or at least bruised, but that's a story for another day.

It all makes for great theatre … which is what separates the Topgun from the pack – no different to the Cox Plate and Miracle Mile in the other racing codes.

Interestingly, the decision of Hooked On Scotch's connections to forego their place in this year's field and concentrate on the Shootout as a lead up to the Melbourne Cup is an understandable one.

How the final field comes together for this year's running will largely be decided on what mindset the selection panel undertake when they convene this Sunday.

It's understood that due consideration is to be given to each greyhound's current ‘aged prizemoney value', recent group race form, recent overall form, and recent Meadows form.

The onus on ‘recent' can be somewhat ambiguous. What's recent to me may not be recent to you.

It can all be very subjective.

After meeting this Sunday, the selection panel (comprising Peter O'Neill, Jason Lincoln, Ron Hawkswell, James Van De Maat and MGRA CEO Ashley Baker) will make a recommendation to the GRV grading department which is tabled by non-voting panel chairman Eddie Caruana.

The field will then be released on the Catching Pen next Tuesday (October 29) along with the Stayers Topgun line-up.

It's been said that sometimes less can be more at this time of year.

A blot on the copy book can put paid to Topgun aspirations. So in the lead up to selection, sometimes the best place to be is at home in your kennel.

And for the record, connections of Pindari Express have declined their invitation, while it's understood Group 1 National Sprint hero Premium Share will miss the race through injury.

The walk up starters for this year's Topgun appear fairly straightforward.

Million Dollar Chase hero Good Odds Harada, two-time Group 1 winner Sennachie, and three-time Group 1 runner-up Black Opium will be offered spots in the race as sure as the sun will come up tomorrow.

And while we are there, two-time Group 1 runner-up Whiskey Riot looks to have done more than enough to solidify his place in the field for trainer Anthony Azzopardi.

That's four.

We'll extend that to five with the inclusion of boom pup Shima Shine.

The Ballarat track record holder's runner-up performance in the Million Dollar Chase is expected to have rubber-stamped his Topgun berth. If he hadn't already.

So there's five.

If we assume that five are in, it's in all likelihood that the final three spots will come down to Group 1 winner Feral Franky, two-time Group 1 winner (at The Meadows) Barooga Brett, Million Dollar Chase third-placegetter Get It Gizmo, and finalist Curt Lee.

If the panel add weight to Group 1 winning performances, Feral Franky and Barooga Brett will be two of the first dogs picked.

Interestingly, Barooga Brett, winner of the Group 1 Silver Chief and Temlee at The Meadows earlier in the year, is currently quoted a $26 chance – the rank outsider of greyhound's considered a live chance of making the field.

Winner at four of his past six, the son of Barcia Bale has won 12 of his 19 appearances at The Meadows 525 metres.

On those sorts of numbers, it's almost implausible not to see him there. A position his trainer Jamie Ennis concurs with, bypassing trips to Adelaide and Sydney to focus on the Melbourne spring riches, in particular at The Meadows, where his charge excels.

If the panel leans with that mindset, either Get It Gizmo or Curt Lee could well miss out on a Topgun berth.

If judges add more weight to potential, they may both get the call up.

But at whose expense?

There's been quite a few budding stars omitted from the event in years gone past.

None more notable than the great Brett Lee back in 2000.

There's no doubt the eight invitees this year will be more than worthy starters.

For the selection panel, it's generally harder to explain why certain greyhounds didn't get a start, rather than why others did.

Expect that to be the case again in 2019.