Black Magic Opal will headline a strong trio from the Jason Thompson kennel heading to Sydney for Saturday night's heats of the Group 1 Sportingbet Paws Of Thunder (520m) at Wentworth Park.
Accompanying the Melbourne Cup winner to Sydney is the talented pair of Phenomenal and Innocent Til.
Black Magic Opal (pictured with Thompson) suffered a rare defeat when beaten into second placing by fellow Victorian Paw Licking in the Group 1 Hobart Thousand Final on December 19 in track record time before showing his customary brilliant acceleration to win at The Meadows last Saturday night in a flying 29.73.
"It was a terrific win and showed me he was on target for the Paws Of Thunder," Thompson said.
"He pulled up perfect after the Hobart Thousand. I thought it was it was one of the best runs of his career despite finishing second.
"It took a track record to beat him and he was chasing the whole way. He lost a couple of lengths in the run and I thought it was just a sensational run.
"Paw Licking broke every split record plus the track record and Black Magic Opal was only beaten half a length."
Phenomenal and Innocent Til are both very well performed greyhounds despite having to play second fiddle to their champion kennelmate.
Phenomenal - who boasts a record of 13 wins from 25 starts and $77,770 in prizemoney - finished second to Dyna Nalin in the Group 1 Sale Cup before he was a certainty beaten when second to Keybow in a heat of the Group 2 Cranbourne Cup after he loomed up to win on the home turn but was cut out when going for an inside run.
Phenomenal is first reserve for Wednesday night's final.
Innocent Til will start from box four in the decider at Cranbourne after winning his heat and he has amassed $95,425 in stakes from 21 wins from his 35 starts.
"Both dogs are very smart, are racing well and have earned the trip to Sydney," Thompson said.
