Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase

Nine More Into The Chase Semi-Finals

By Michael Cowley
It’s exactly one month until the eight semi-finals of the TAB Million Dollar Chase will be decided at Wentworth Park, and on Terrific Tuesday, there were nine greyhounds who booked berths in those semis for a shot at gaining a start in a life-changing race.

At Temora on Tuesday afternoon it was Victorian Jason Thompson’s dog Plaintiff – a semi-finalist in the Chase series earlier this year - who stole the show winning the Regional Final in 25.80s from local Impress Bromell, and another Victorian Kelsey Bale.

Then a few hours later and 390kms up the road at Bulli, it was John Mellon’s Mellcat Big Boy clocking a near-record 25.87s winning that club’s Regional Final from good mate Andrew Rowe’s Sonic Oak, with Rodney O’Brien’s He’s Grand gaining the other spot in the semis out of Bulli.

Add a few more hours and another 140kms up the road, and we were at Gosford for their Regional Final and it was French Martini finishing too strongly for the leader Yuko Girl and $81 roughie One Smart One.

But back to Temora and back on April 29 this year it was the last of eight semi-finals of the Million Dollar Chase and second reserve Plaintiff had speared to the lead and looked home, until $81 chance Zambidis came from the clouds to pip him on the line and snatch the last spot for a crack at $1 million a week later.

Plaintiff will return almost five months later for another chance in the semi-finals after powering to the lead soon after boxrise and giving nothing else a chance.

“To be a genuine chance in the series I thought he needed to win like he did today - I thought it was one of his best career wins,” Thompson said. “Qualifying would have been a pass mark but to win like he did sets him up nicely for the series.” 


At Bulli it was the dogs of good mates John Mellon and Andrew Rowe who finished one-two in the Regional Final with the pair delighted their respective mate was headed to the semis.

“Rowey is a greyhound tragic,” said Mellon. “I love the guy. He is everything greyhound racing and the last dog I wanted sitting on my hammer on the home turn was Rowey’s, and he was ... but we held him off.

“If I can’t win the Million Dollar Chase, I hope Andrew Rowe does.”

Mellcat Big Boy had 3½ lengths to spare over Sonic Oak, and while he would have loved to have won, second to his mate was good enough for Rowe.

“John’s a great bloke and we just love the animal,” said Rowe. “We live for the industry and it keeps us motivated and keeps us going. He just loves the industry. He’s as passionate as what I am.

“It’s awesome to run second to John. I would have loved to win, but we’re through (to the semis) and I’m really happy for him and Kath it’s awesome stuff.”

Mellcat Big Boy will start in the final of the NSW National Straight Track Championship this Saturday at Richmond, before Mellon takes him back to Wentworth Park to prepare for the semi-finals.

“He’s just a marvel the dog, he keeps producing. We had him primed for tonight and I thought he could run that (time) but until they do, you don’t know. He keeps surprising me this dog, he’s just amazing.”


Rounding out Terrific Tuesday was the Gosford Regional Final and the man who has won two Million Dollar Chase Grand Finals now has a realistic chance of a third after brilliant speedster French Martini qualified for the semi-finals.

Peter and Jodie Lagogiane won with Mystic Riot in the inaugural Chase in 2018 and then again in 2020 with Handsome Prince, but he has gone on record as saying French Martini is faster than his other pair.

She clocked 29.44s in running down the leader Yuko Girl to win at Gosford, but also has a slick 29.46s winning time at Wentworth Park to her credit.

Yuko Girl for Sam Sultana will join French Martini in the semis as will the Harry Sarkis-trained One Smart One who stuck on well for third.