Golden Greys set to shine this Thursday

By Andrew Adermann

A pair of Group 2 feature races take centre-stage this Thursday night as the 2020/21 TAB Golden Greys Summer Carnival officially gets underway at Albion Park.

Both the Queensland Derby and Bogie Leigh Futurity have assembled stellar fields, with a number of the state’s best up-and-comers going head-to-head across the two feature races.

The $57,500 520-metre Queensland Derby – for dogs under 30 months – has seen arguably the state’s most in-form dog in Farmor Beach open a red hot $1.70 favourite.

The Wayne Scott-trained dog is unbeaten in 10 of his last 11 starts, which included a devastating four-length win to claim the $110,000 Ipswich Gold Cup.

In his short career, Farmor Beach has claimed 16 wins and four minor placings from 24 starts, and his hot streak doesn’t look like coming to a halt after drawing the ideal red rug to harness his explosive early speed.

Tony Brett is never far away from the big races, and his rising star Sentenced – the progeny of National Sprint and Group 1 Winter Cup winner Jury – looks to be the major threat from box two.

Like Farmor Beach, Sentenced enters the Final in a rich vein of form, claiming victory in his last three starts, to improve his record to four wins and two placings from seven starts.

The two-year-old put the writing on the wall coming into Thursday’s Final, with a scintillating six-length victory in the Derby heat from his wide box and looks the clear danger to knock of the short-price favourite.

Elsewhere in the field, Northern Rivers trainer Robert Cooke will be hoping his dynamic brothers Cash View and Cash Stack can continue their consistent performances since making the move across the NSW border, as they jump alongside each other from the middle alleys.

The Group 2 Bogie Leigh Futurity for bitches under 30 months looks a far more open affair on paper, and it’s another Wayne Scott-trained pup from box one that will look to push to the front from the outset.

Mayoress couldn’t hold on in her heat last week after leading throughout the majority of the trip, being run down late by both Pump It and Paint Face, who will again line up in Thursday’s Final.

However, a favourable draw in comparison to several rivals may prove the catalyst in turning the tables ahead of the $57,500 feature.

Crazy Cool for Robert Jackson will also be looking to atone on her heat defeat to Kiss And Spin, but will have to contend with an awkward box five draw.

Despite that last-start second, the bitch remains an equal favourite on the TAB at $3.20 with Mayoress.

Thursday’s meeting will see the first Group races of the TAB Golden Greys Summer Carnival take place, with another four to be run over the coming seven weeks.

Click here to read more about the TAB Golden Greys Summer Carnival.