Greyhound Racing: Countdown to rich cup continues

The presence of three group race winners in this evening's main Hatrick 520m event (Race 10) adds a fair degree of interest to it as the countdown continues towards the looming rich $88,000 Auckland Cup.

The Angela Turnwald-prepared New Zealand Cup title holder Nature's Gent will exit from the four trap this evening.

His tardy starting habits has denied him recent race wins. It has been his strength that has carried him into his latest placings.

Watch out if this owner of a quick 29.68s best winning 520m time gets the jump right this evening.

Me Jane stylishly won last month's Waikato Classic over 457m at the Cambridge Raceway.

She won that event by using her known early pace.

It is that asset that makes her a sound prospect this evening, especially after she hops away from the two trap for her trainer Lisa Cole.

The Cole-prepared Spare Some Time won last season's NZ Futurity here.

His form has since dropped away and he has been allocated the tricky five draw to exit from this evening.

Matt Roberts has Quistis Bale ticking over sweetly.

She has been tackling strong recent fields and her on the pace racing styling can see her up vying for the early pace from the eight trap.

It is an extremely even open class sprint (Race 5) this evening where a sound winning case can be made for all eight contenders.

The Cole-trained bunch of Bigtime Doug, Bigtime Blackie, Bigtime Sugar and Daisy Lara are likely to be challenged by Hypocritical from the Roberts kennels.

The bet of the evening has to be Allegro Gun who amazingly will take his place in a straight C4 305m sprint (Race 8).

He has missed a stake in his last three grade races, hence his down-grade from the open class ranks.

Allegro Gun's win two races ago came in a restricted nomination sprint so the race didn't count for grading.

Watch for the Hatrick 305m track record (17.07s) holder and the winner of $108,433 to regain his open class racing stripes in this dash.