The open class 520m and 305m races at Hatrick takes on an extra edge over the next two Friday evenings, as the national attention for the greyhound code switches to the River City following the running of last night's rich $100,000 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup.
The straight speed merchantswho also contested the $30,000 Galaxy Sprint at Addington last night are also travelling to Hatrick.
Heats for the $45,420 Spion Rose Cup (520m) at Group 1 level, plus the Group 2 $15,825 Dash For Cash (305m) will be contested on December 1, with the finals being decided the following Friday.
That means this evening's racing takes on an extra edge as greyhounds on the fringe of field selection for the heats of those events are seeking to either improve or consolidate their current form lines.
The Adept Accountants C4/5 is this evening's main 520m event (Race 10, 8.51pm), where the Lisa Cole-prepared Allegro Gun is favoured to strongly make his presence felt from his kind one trap draw.
Others with stake earning claims in this event includes Mila Mila (Angela Turnwald), Bigtime Vanesa (Cole) and Jinja Loren (Garry Ross and Sarah Voyce).
The main focus of attention this evening for the "Bigtime" Lisa Cole kennels will be over in Melbourne, where regular Hatrick Friday attendee Bigtime Paddy will line up in a heat (Race 3, 9.50pm NZT) of the world's richest greyhound race - the A$600,000 Melbourne Cup.
The scenario for Paddy to advance to next Friday's rich final is very simple - he must win his 515m heat as it will be only the eight heats winners who will contest that final. Bigtime Paddy has drawn nicely in trap two for his heat.
It is essential that he uses his known sharp on-the-pace Hatrick racing tactics to lead around the first turn.
