Staying stars Sweet It Is and Space Star are headline acts at The Meadows in heats of the Victorian State Distance Championship over 725 metres this Saturday night.
Sweet It Is – who is Australia’s current leading prizemoney earner ($882,650) – will be looking to defend her title after taking out last year’s National Distance Championship over Xylia Allen at Cannington. The last greyhound to win back-to-back distance titles was Boronia Blossom, who tasted success in 1995 and 1996.
Trained by Braden Finn, the black chaser will start from box seven in the first heat, taking on Group 1 Gold Cup winner Dzeko (box six) and up-and-coming staying star Shanlyn Lucy (box one).
Space Star (pictured) returns to the racetrack after injuring a monkey muscle in the Group 1 Sandown Cup over two months ago, drawing favourably in box eight in the last of the two heats.
Space Star is the fastest greyhound around the 725-metre trip at The Meadows, breaking the track record on February 28 in a heat of the Group 1 Superstayers, running 41.93.
He takes on in-form stayer Lady Toy (box seven) and last week’s Destini Fireball Stayers Feature winner Zipping Maggie, who will start from box three.
The first four across the line on Saturday will line up in the Victorian State Distance Final on August 8.
Victorian representatives will head to Wentworth Park for the Group 1 National Distance Final - worth $75,000 to the winner – on August 22.
