The only NSW Group 1 staged at a venue other than Wentworth Park, the event has grown in stature since it began in 2010.

The Megastar has been won by a number of smart sprinter, including Oaks Road (2011), Peter Rocket (2013), Fantastic Dotty (2015) and Zipping Tayla (2018).

In 2019 after winning the Million Dollar Chase, Good Odds Harada claimed his first Group 1 with victory in the Megastar.

The 2020 Dapto Megastar attracted two of the stars of the sport - Victorian Simon Told Helen and local star Flying Ricciardo.

On heat performances it was hard to tip against Simon Told Helen whose 29.36s heat win was just 0.02s outside Fantastic Dotty's 2015 track record. The other heats went to MDC Consolation winner Shetland in 29.77s, and Flying Ricciardo in an almost sluggish 29.96s.

Drawn alongside each other in boxes 1 and 2 in the final, Simon Told Helen held out Flying Ricciardo and led to the first turn and most expected that was the race.

But showing incredibly determination, Flying Ricciardo drew alongside and took over up the back, going on to win his first group 1 and the first for his trainer Kristy Sultana.

The 2021 Megastar saw two outstanding performances in the heats, sheer speed from Zipping Kyrgios winning in 29.40s, and an amazing effort from Sound Of Silence to navigate his way through traffic and storm to victory. The pair dominated discussion pre-race for the final.

But it was Mark Gatt's young bitch Ritza Donna who would position perfectly behind the leader Marvin's Girl, race to the front up the back and then hold off the late finish of Sound Of Silence to give Gatt his second Megastar, having won the event back in 2011 with Oaks Road.

She had only been in the kennel of Jodie Lord for five starts, but at that fifth start Good Odds Emma claimed the Group 1 Sportsbet Megastar final.

A phenomenal performance in the heats saw her recover from being knocked down early and then come from last in the back to qualify.

It was a different story in the final. She jumped and matched motors with leader Yuko Girl, before powering to the lead on the home turn and holding off the fast-finishing Lochinvar Lona with the gallant Yuko Girl third.

The Megastar win was the second for the Lords having won the race with Let it Develop back in 2016.

In 2023, it was the Jason Thompson-trained Umberto who claimed the Megastar crown after a less than ideal preparation.

A truck accident on the Hume Motorway, which impacted the M5 and M7, saw caretaker trainer Peter Lagogiane’s usual 90 minute trip turn into a 3½ hour nightmare. He called chief steward Wade Birch who allowed the kennels to remain open for just enough time for Lagogiane to arrive just before 7pm and kennel the two dogs.

“I’m not paying the M7 toll,” he was able to joke once safely at Dapto. “They can refund me that. I can tell you my palms were pretty sweaty, but kudos to the stewards for keeping the kennels open for us," Lagogiane said at the time.

But the drama was soon forgotten when Umberto speared from the boxes and raced away with the Group 1 in a slick time of 29.60s. The rising star not only winning his connections $75,000, but also gaining direct path to the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase semi-finals.

Runner up Mortified and Remember This rounded out the Megastar placings, with Umberto's victory a second in the race for Jason and Seona Thompson after the pair claimed the famous Dapto Group 1 event with Aqua Cheetah in 2017.