Final Melbourne Cup field confirmed for November 30 race at Sandown

After a full day of qualifying heats at Sandown Park this weekend, the final field for next Saturday’s 2024 Group 1 Melbourne Cup has been named.

The event is one of the biggest races in Australian greyhound racing. $1 million in prize money is up for grabs and some of the most well-known racers in the country will be vying for first place, including Jihad Talgi’s Schillaci.

Final field named

Eight greyhounds have earned their spot for the Melbourne Cup this weekend.

With over $1 million in prize money to his name, Schillaci is the biggest name in the race, but he was not the fastest runner in qualifying heats.

That honour goes to Sunset Frazier who won the second heat in just 29 seconds flat.

Second best on Saturday was Explicit. The Jason Thompson-trained sprinter won his heat with a 29.05-second time.

Here is the full Melbourne Cup field:

• Box 1: Joey The Jet ($3.40)
• Box 2: Eptimoize ($5.50)
• Box 3: Schillaci ($15.00)
• Box 4: Sunset Frazier ($7.00)
• Box 5: Miss Envy ($6.50)
• Box 6: Explicit ($3.40)
• Box 7: Big Energy ($9.00)
• Box 8: Buddy Monelli ($51.00)

Jason Thompson’s Excavation and George Borg’s Deadly Avenger have also been named as reserves.

Favourite gets good box draw

Trainer Joey Thompson is in the rare position where two of his greyhounds are the co-favourites for this weekend’s race. Of the two, Joey The Jet is the most likely winner according to Thompson.

Joey The Jet drew box one. The trainer says this box draw gives the racer a fair shot at winning the $1 million race next weekend.

“Yeah, it helps,” Thompson said, “Obviously, the run in any race is super crucial, but in these big races it does play a big part.

“He is a young dog and he has to use that like he did tonight,” he added.

Explicit, who was the clear betting sites favourite before the box draw, has a tougher challenge ahead of him, having been drawn into box six.

“It’s not ideal, but with the way the draw is, anything can happen. They’re all good dogs, but the best dog will win next week,” Thompson said of Explicit’s draw and his Melbourne Cup chances.

Other Melbourne Cup contenders

Besides the favourites Joey The Jet and Explicit, most Sandown Park tips say that Sunset Frazier is the racer to watch this Saturday.

The Jeffrey Britton-trained racer stunned the Sandown Park crowd on Saturday with a blistering run to beat out Topgun champion Excavation. Britton called the run “unreal” and many are hoping he can take that momentum into next weekend’s $1 million race.

Most betting apps give Sunset Frazier $7 chances, just behind Miss Envy ($6.50) and third favourite Eptimoize ($5.50).