The Million Dollar Chase - which has fast become Australia’s biggest greyhound race - will take place on September 24 at Wentworth Park in Sydney.
The fifth running of the race, it is now officially the world’s richest greyhound race and as a result attracts the strongest field imaginable.
Unlike some of Australia’s biggest thoroughbred races, all eight dogs in the Million Dollar Chase hail from Australia, with six of those based in New South Wales, while they are joined by a Victorian and South Australian runner.
The Million Dollar Chase is run as a final in a series of leadup races, with prizemoney handed out to all eight dogs in the race, although only $10,000 for those finishing in fifth to eighth spot at the end of the 520-metre race.
In the previous four editions, the winners have come out of Box 7 (twice), Box 2 and Box 4, however, that may be about to change, with the favourite for the 2022 edition coming out of Box 3.
Who To Look Out For?
Zipping Kyrgios - which is one of three dogs in the field trained by John Finn - has raced into favouritism during the leadup to the 2022 race, while French Martini, who is trained by Peter Lagogiane (who has won the race twice previously in 2018 and 2020) is rated as the second favourite.
Gatlin, who is the fastest qualifier for the 2022 edition of the Million Dollar Chase, and McInerney are the other greyhounds in the race who have taken significant money and recorded significantly lower odds. French Martini is coming out of Box 7 for the race in what could be a disadvantage, while Gatlin is in Box 5.
McInerney, who has 3 previous wins coming from the most inside box and is in career-best form coming into the race, has drawn Box 1. An explosive finisher, the fourth-favourite is rated by some as potentially the best chance of claiming victory from those not with favouritism.
The other four dogs in the race, who hold significantly higher odds, are Zipping Alabama, He’s On Fire, Hold Me Up and Agland Luai.
Zipping Kyrgios
The favourite coming into the affair, Zipping Kyrgios, has a number of previous wins, including 2 out of Box 3 from just 7 starts, and is a proven big race performer, hence the run into favouritism for the 520-metre sprint around Wentowrth Park.
If Zipping Kyrgios can make a fast start to the race and take the early lead, as per its previous races and form, then it will be incredibly difficult to track down by the field of runners left in the dust behind it.
French Martini
Despite the outside box, French Martini has 2 wins from 4 starts in its career out of Box 7 and will put up a good fight to Zipping Kyrgios during the Million Dollar Chase final. What will work against her is the fact she is the most inexperienced runner in the race, but a fast previous best time will leave her in good shape for the remainder of the race.
Gatlin
Gatlin - one of the Jonn Finn-trained runners - comes into the race as the fastest qualifier on a time of 29.28 seemed to outperform what would have been considered the best times during the semi-final, and will need to back up what was an incredible run to have a show at taking out the million-dollar prize.
McInerney with Box 1 would appear to be the biggest challenger, but Zipping Kyrgios will be hard to stop.
