Lord Ducal Takes Out Greyhound Racing’s Biggest Prize

Written By Michael Floyd, Sandown Greyhound Racing Correspondent Friday 27th November 2009

Devon Meadows husband and wife team Jon and Jenny Roberts took out Australia’s richest and most prestigious greyhound race, the $250,000 Group 1 Solo Melbourne Cup at Sandown Park tonight.

“It’s unbelievable,” said triumphant trainer Jon.

“I’ve been in greyhounds a long time and I never thought this would happen.”

Lord Ducal jumped only fairly from box 7 but drove through a narrow gap between Dyna Lachlan and Octare, and with trouble close to the rail on the first turn, ‘Malcolm’ soon found himself in the lead.

The black speedster extended his margin down the back straight and proved far too good in the run to the line to defeat the gallant Dyna Lachlan, who recorded his fourth minor placing in six group race finals, by 2.5 lengths.

Mr. Moorooduc recovered from heavy interference at the first turn to finish third.

“I said six months ago this dog was good enough to win a Melbourne Cup,” continued Roberts.

“He did cost me a lot of money early days. I knew he could run but if there was trouble he’d find it. He has improved.”

Lord Ducal’s winning time of 29.53 seconds was the second fastest in the race’s 54 year history, just 0.02 seconds outside of the race record set by three-time Group 1 winner Betty’s Angel.

It was the couple’s first Solo Melbourne Cup finalist since Plugger, named after then St. Kilda spearhead Tony Lockett, contested the 1988 final.

Owned and bred by Jon’s wife Jenny, Lord Ducal is a distant relative of Plugger, and entered the Solo Melbourne Cup as the least experienced greyhound in the race. He left the Lightwood Road circuit the richest after the ninth win in his 26 race career netted him the $175,000 first prize and took Lord Ducal’s career prizemoney to $217,715.

The Solo Melbourne Cup is the culmination of one of Australia’s richest Greyhound Racing carnivals, and proved a particular triumph for super-sire Bombastic Shiraz.

Himself a winner of the Melbourne ‘Triple Crown’ – the Topgun, Shootout and Melbourne Cup – in 2003, Bombastic Shiraz sired the winner of each leg of the 2009 Triple Crown with Cindeen Shelby (Topgun), Velocette (Shootout) and Lord Ducal (Melbourne Cup) emulating the feats of their famous father.

The night was a tremendous success for the Club which recorded near record turnover figures, remarkable given the inclement weather in the lead up to the race.

After the placings the field finished in the following order 4th Octare ($11.90), 5th Take The Kitty ($3.90fav), 6th Remo Rubik ($14.30) 7th Prankster ($8.70) and Turanza Bale ($5.70).

Lord Ducal is a Black dog whelped April 2007 he is raced, trained and was bred by Jon & Jenny Roberts. He is by Bombastic Shiraz from Ducal Princess (Lansley Bale x Patsy Cline) he has raced 26 times for nine wins and nine placings with the Melbourne Cup’s first prize of $175,000, it took his overall stake earnings to $217,715.

The night was a tremendous success for the Sandown Greyhound Racing Club and was a fitting finale for its Sky Channel Superdogs Series.

A large crowd enjoy humid conditions after a stormy afternoon and helped the Club top $1 million in TAB turnover on a meeting for just the third time.

Listed below is the honour roll of winners of the Melbourne Cup.