2009 Sale Cup $50,000 Group 1 ?
 

Well after 10 days in Eden and 5 days at Narooma I am back to reality! PS anyone going to Narooma Has to go to Obriens Hotel Million Dollar View pub magnificent views and even better coldest vb schooners Ive ever had I reckon I averaged 20 a day their betting on the races and dogs!
Anyway the Sale cup next year will be worth 50,000 grand to the winner and the club has applied for it to be upgraded from a group 2 to a group 1. I am not sure on this so dont quote me but I was told their on sunday it would be the only group 1 greyhound race outside of metropolitan Victoria if they are successful.

Cheers
Diesel

Yes Diesel I read this on the GRV site and thought it was great news. I expect they will get their Group One Status in view of the prize money. As expressed a month or so ago I was disappointed with the 2008 Sale Cup fields and hope that the club gets the nominations it deserves in 2009. It needs another half a dozen or so high quality dogs. Shanew explained to us why Fallen Zorro and Chinatown Lad were not not there in 2008, Sky Hazzard was retired and Mantra Lad was injured. The presence of those dogs would have made a huge difference. I have a bit of a "thing" for the Sale Cup, I like it. In fact, I have identified a bitch, unraced at this stage, who I am hoping will win the 2009 Final.

Not sure if it has the quality of dogs that a group 1 race should have. IMO

Maybe if the quality of dogs entering improves, but i think that will take a few years and a few more $$ in the prize pool.

Ohh phew lol, was thinking for a second this was about the horse racing Sale Cup.

Morgan, I do most definitely appreciate where you are coming from with regard to whether the Sale Cup will attract the quality of nomination that you and I think a Group One should attract but I think the race will in any case satisfy the primary criteria for a Group One. The following extract is taken from the AGRA site: "Group 1 status shall apply to those races which carry a minimum prizemoney of $50,000 cash to the winner and have been conducted for at least 6 years or are 'protected status' or 'special status' Group 1 events".
A major problem for any club initiating a new or upgraded race is the fullness of the Australian calendar with regard to Group and other feature races. Overall this is good (no doubt about it) but not for a club that is trying to promote a new/upgraded race. Shanew told us recently that Fallen Zorro was in Perth doing very well in deed when the $30,000 to the winner Sale Cup was being run and good on him and the other connections and of course the WA fans but I would have loved to have seen Fallen Zorro at Sale. The time of the year and relative isolation maybe don't help either. Anyway, I say "bring on the Group One Sale Cup", one which in 2008 might have, in other circumstances (very different circumstances) had a Final field like: Vintage Octane, Fallen Zorro, Chinatown Lad, Mantra Lad, Sky Hazzard, Gunnadoo Magic, Lilley Criminal and of course Salegreys Iscool and I would have liked the track to have been in an order conducive to fast times as I reckon the track record and even that 37.0 barrier could have been in distinct danger. All of this was absolutely impossible in 2008 but maybe in 2009 there might be a not too dissimilar Final field in terms of quality.