Set tongues wagging with some destructive performances in October and November and he looks like he could be absolutely anything in 2024. The aptly named Megatron exploded onto the scene in the 2023 Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase Maiden series, winning the final by 4.50 lengths in a time of 29.42. By comparison (and on the same night), Queensland star Jay Is Jay won the MDC in a time of 29.76, while G1 winner Idolize claimed the MDC Consolation in 29.63. Now times are not everything, but his four career wins have been full of excitement and it will be interesting to see if he is aimed up at the National Derby or the Paws Of Thunder by arguably the trainer of the year in Jason Magri. His first section PB at Wenty Park of 5.51 is more than good enough to go against the top liners and he’s only had five race starts, so you have to think he’s still just scratching the surface of what’s to come. The type of dog that gets people to the track!
ZIPPING-caleb">ZIPPING">ZIPPING Caleb | Minnie Finn | Flying Ricciardo x ZIPPING-lilly">ZIPPING">ZIPPING Lilly | Whelped 6-10-21 The 2023 Zoom Top Maiden winner has started his career in fine fettle, winning nine races and more than $100,000 in prizemoney already. The Zoom Top Maiden has been a great form reference in recent years and with the 2022 crop winning a stack of feature races, ZIPPING Caleb may well be the flag bearer for the 2023 cohort as we move into the New Year. He won a city qualifier of the MDC back in September before finishing third behind Bella Una in his semi-final. Has since gone on to claim the G3 Christmas Gift in a barnstorming finish, and he will race for G2 glory in the Queensland Derby Next week after navigating his way through to that feature final. ZIPPING Caleb’s mother, ZIPPING Lilly, has produced several stars over the last few years with ZIPPING-kyrgios">ZIPPING Kyrgios (32 wins) and ZIPPING Maserati (27 wins) among the well-credentialed family tree. Caleb now joins the likes of high profile kennelmates ZIPPING Orlando, ZIPPING Vaness and ZIPPING-remus">ZIPPING Remus as dogs to watch in 2024.
Bandit Bluey | Andy and Jodie Lord | Collision x Opal Rocks | Whelped 21-11-21 Got lumped with the “Next She’s A Pearl” tag by trainer Andy Lord a few times during 2023 and after winning a heat of the MDC in just her fifth start, it was hard to argue she didn’t have some special ability. A graduate of the 2023 Zoom Top Maiden series final (where she finished at the back of the field behind winner and now G3 Christmas Gift champ ZIPPING Caleb), Bandit Bluey has only tasted defeat on three occasions in her fledgling 11-start career. Was given a six-week freshen up by Team Lord after the MDC series and has returned with four straight wins at Goulburn and now connections need to make a tough call. Does she head to the bitches only and age-capped National Futurity or does she have a crack against the seasoned professionals in the Paws Of Thunder? Not a bad problem to have.
Nangar Jim | Jo McFadyen | Aston Dee Bee x Nangar Silk | Whelped 20-10-21 We will get our first look at this guy in 2024 on January 2 after he advanced to the final of the Beast Unleashed Gosford Gold Cup. The Jo McFadyen-trained runner was a revelation in the back half of 2023, winning the Group 2 Maitland Cup in December by 4.25 lengths. That breakthrough Group win came just six weeks after Nangar Jim ran second in the Group 3 Goulburn Cup behind Quantifiable, and only a few months after he changed kennels and joined Team McFadyen midway through the year. He is already a 12-time winner from just 21 starts and has shown great versatility early in his career with wins at Maitland, Wentworth Park, The Gardens and Grafton. Is being steered towards the G1 National Derby in January.
Nangar Jim is one of the leading contenders for the National Derby
Eyes To Eyes | Neville Brown | Orson Allen x Nangar Jay | Whelped 25-10-21 Another promising pup stepping out in the Group 2 decider at Gosford on January 2 after flying around the Central Coast circuit in the heats in a time of 29.10. The Neville Brown-prepared Chaser (at time of writing) hasn’t missed the frame in his last 10 starts and has a low mark of 29.54 at Wenty Park. Caught the eye during the 2023 MDC series when running a close second to G1 placegetter Al’s Entity at Bulli and has just gone from strength to strength since. The son of Orson Allen only turned two in October but already has 29 race starts to his name and looks like one of the favourites for the age restricted National Derby in January.
Eyes To Eyes is a star in waiting
Rinsed The Lot | Michelle Sultana | Barcia Bale x Mrs. Mouse | Whelped 8-5-22
The son of Barcia Bale earned a spot in the blackbook during the Ladbrokes Maitland Future Stars Maiden series in December where he claimed back-to-back victories in the heat and final. The final performance was especially eye-catching with the six-length victory backed up by the clock as well. The time of 22.17 faster than former race winners Sky Wave (who ran third in the Million Dollar Chase in 2018), ZIPPING Kyrgios (runner-up in the 2022 MDC) and Good Odds Harada (the MDC winner in 2019). Rinsed The Lot is also a half-brother to Masters Meteor champion and 23-time winner Fernando Hunter and is by far the baby of this talented group of greyhounds.
All smile from Michelle Sultana and Rinsed The Lot
Still yet to celebrate his second birthday but is already a Group 3 winner after claiming the Rising Stars event at Albion Park in November and is now a finalist in the G2 Queensland Derby after taking out a heat of that race on Thursday night in fine style (he qualified third fastest behind fellow blue ZIPPING Remus). 15 starts for nine wins and more than $75,000 in prizemoney puts him firmly in the conversation for best Young dog in the State and the rest of his litter out of Sweet City Woman are crushing the early part of their careers with 22 combined wins from 45 starts (and all six on the track have won at least one race). He ran third to Rocket Riot and Blue Falcon in the 2023 Young star and Overflow Beau already has four BOD wins and owns runs of 29.65, 29.69 and 29.75 at Wentworth Park which has put his name up in lights as one of the greyhounds to beat in the National Derby in a few weeks’ time.
Overflow Beau in action in QLD in 2023 Credit: Box 1 Photography
A litter sister to ZIPPING-megatron">ZIPPING">ZIPPINGMegatron, Theresa is not only another potential superstar for Jason Magri, she’s the high earner of the family so far with over $50,000 in career earnings through 17 race starts. Her ten wins have come at Richmond (5) and Wenty Park (5), she’s started in single figures with the bookies in every one of her runs, and she’s working her way through the grades with relative ease. ZIPPING Theresa already has six sub-30 second efforts at headquarters as well so the National Futurity looks like a perfect spot for her to launch an assault on 2024.
Won’t get the same attention as his kennelmates ZIPPING-megatron">ZIPPING">ZIPPINGMegatron or ZIPPING Theresa but his record (13: 9-2-0) rivals that of any up-and-comer in NSW ahead of the 2024 racing season. Just like Megatron, he was beaten in his first race start at Richmond back in June, but he then rattled off six straight wins at the circuit with low times of 22.55 over the 401m and 29.64 for the 520m. Runner-up to a handy one in Rocket Riot in the Young Star, he’s already a three-time winner at Wentworth Park (PB of 29.82) and is age eligible for the National Derby in January. Hasn't been seen since October though so unsure on his status.
Blue Falcon is another gun from the powerful Magri kennel
Cobber">Good Odds Cobber">Cobber | Frank Hurst | Fernando Bale x Good Odds Meghan | Whelped 7-1-22 Great name, great trainer, and already a great start to his Young chasing career. Another pup out of super producer Good Odds Meghan (the sister to MDC winner Good Odds Harada and a mother of G1 winning Good Odds Emma), Cobber will run in his first Group final on January 2 in the Beast Unleashed Gosford Gold Cup. He’s only missed a cheque in one of his 14 starts (at time of writing) and was unlucky to miss out on the Zoom Top Maiden Final back in July when second behind eventual runner-up Mario Wave in the heats. ‘The Cob’ is another that will likely head to the National Derby heats in a few weeks and is one of the Youngest greyhounds on this list (turns two in January).
