Group 1 Sapphire Crown – free tips and betting preview

LEVIATHAN owner/breeder Paul Wheeler will be aiming to secure his third Group 1 Sapphire Crown (515m) title within four years on Thursday night when the promising Folio Bale lines up from box one in the $100,000 to the winner feature at Sandown Park.

Trained by Andrea Dailly, Folio Bale is the $2.65 favourite with online bookmaker Crownbet.com.au following on from her commanding 29.31 heat win off an identical draw last week.

The daughter of Taylors Sky and Zambola Bale comes into the final as a winner of nine of her 40 starts and two from five over the track and trip at Sandown Park.

If she is able to salute on Thursday night, the red brindle bitch will join Wheeler's other fantastic females Lamia Bale (2015) and Xylia Allen (2013) as winners of the prestigious event for bitches only.

Shared Equity is the next best in the market at $5 with Sportsbet.com.au with the -trained bitch striving for her first win at the highest level, with Thursday's race set to be her 12th group race final. The winner of the 2015 Group 2 Ballarat Cup will start from box eight in this week's decider, a draw from which she has won two of her seven appearances.

Langton's partner trains Mepunga Fame in the final, with the daughter of Premier Fantasy and Mepunga Jayelle given a rough chance off box four. Rated a $14 chance, the white and black bitch is a five time winner at Sandown Park including an impressive three and three quarter length win over Skate Thin Ice and Cash In Motion, which dead heated for second, in last Thursday's qualifier.

Cash In Motion is probably one of the fastest dogs in the race, but the Group 1 Futurity winner has a tendency to mix her box manners which may bring her undone from box five against this quality line-up.

As a rising four year old, the lightly raced Nymeria is the oldest greyhound in the race, with the Brooke Ennis-prepared chaser given a serious look-in at $6. A veteran of just 15 starts, the December 2012 whelp has only had five starts in Victoria and was far from disgraced when finishing two lengths second behind Folio Bale in her heat. Nymeria will start from box six in the feature.

Narralee represents a bit of value off box two at $11 with Crownbet.com.au, with the Steve Creighton-trained chaser only resuming racing last month after close to a year on the sidelines. She has since won three from five including a hot 29.56 win here last week and she is drawn to feature prominently on the inside.

NSW bitch Star Torana, which finished second to Narralee in her heat, has come up with box seven for the final and is a roughie at $21, while Skate Thin Ice rounds out the field at $34 off box three.

The Group 1 Sapphire Crown is race six on the card this Thursday night at Sandown Park and is set to jump at 8:52pm.

Box One – Folio Bale
Red Brindle Bitch – 27.3kg – October 2013
Taylor's Sky x Zambola Bale
Prize money: $47,395
Trainer: Andrea Dailly
Career: 40: 9-9-5
Box: 7: 3-1-0
TD: 5: 2-1-0
TD Best: 29.31
Career Highlights: WON Sandown Park 29.31, The Meadows 29.66, 29.83

Odds to win the Sapphire Crown: $2.65 with Crownbet

Box Two – Narralee
Black Bitch – 29.5kg – January 2013
Aston Galilee x Prince's Faye
Prize money: $45,080
Trainer: Steve Creighton
Career: 33: 16-6-1
Box: 6: 3-0-0
TD: 6: 3-0-0
TD Best: 29.42
Career Highlights: FINALIST 2015 Group 2 Warragul Cup

Odds to win the Sapphire Crown: $11 with Crownbet

Box Three – Skate Thin Ice
Dark Brindle Bitch – 27.9kg – November 2013
Collision x Scavenger Hunt
Prize money: $47,289
Trainer: Luke Azzopardi
Career: 34: 9-9-1
Box: 6: 4-0-0
TD: 5: 0-1-1
TD Best: NBT
Career Highlights: 2ND 2015 Group 2 Puppy Classic, 2016 Listed Ultra Sense

Odds to win the Sapphire Crown: $34 with William Hill

Box Four – Mepunga Fame
White and Black Bitch – 26.2kg – February 2014
Premier Fantasy x Mepunga Jayelle
Prize money: $31,950
Trainer: Jeff Britton
Career: 19: 7-4-3
Box: 2: 1-0-0
TD: 9: 5-1-2
TD Best: 29.51
Career Highlights: WON Sandown Park 29.51, 29.53, The Meadows 30.07

Odds to win the Sapphire Crown: $14 with

Box Five – Cash In Motion
Black Bitch – 29.6kg – September 2013
Smooth Fancy x Teddy's Jackpot
Prize money: $190,057
Trainer: Robert Cooke
Career: 44: 17-6-5
Box: 7: 3-2-0
TD: 1: 0-1-0
TD Best: NBT
Career Highlights: WON 2016 Group 1 Futurity, 2015 Group 3 Ipswich , 3RD 2016 Group 2 Gosford Gold Cup, FINALIST 2016 Group 1 Temlee, 2015 Group 3 Gold Coast Cup

Odds to win the Sapphire Crown: $9 with Crownbet

Box Six – Nymeria
Red Fawn Bitch – 30.7kg – December 2012
Spring Gun x Sierra Lee
Prize money: $24,203
Trainer: Brooke Ennis
Career: 15: 7-2-2
Box: 2: 2-0-0
TD: 4: 1-1-1
TD Best: 29.35
Career Highlights: WON Dapto 29.65, Wentworth Park 30.60, Sandown Park 29.35

Odds to win the Sapphire Crown: $6 with Sportsbet

Box Seven – Star Torana
Black Bitch – 28.3kg – June 2013
Collision x Redskin
Prize money: $90,576
Trainer: Shaun Evans
Career: 39: 15-9-7
Box: 3: 1-1-0
TD: 2: 1-1-0
TD Best: 29.78
Career Highlights: 2ND 2016 Group 2 Richmond Oaks, FINALIST 2015 Group 3 New Sensation, 2015 Group 3 Ladies Bracelet, 2016 Group 3 Ladies Bracelet

Odds to win the Sapphire Crown: $21 with Sportsbet

Box Eight – Shared Equity
Black Bitch – 27.9kg – February 2013
Brett Lee x West On Bluebird
Prize money: $275,808
Trainer: Angela Langton
Career: 60: 26-7-5
Box: 7: 2-2-1
TD: 16: 5-1-1
TD Best: 29.22
Career Highlights: WON 2016 Group 2 Ballarat Cup, 2ND 2015 Group 2 Bendigo Cup, 2016 Group 2 Cup, 3RD 2016 Group 1 Temlee, 2016 Group 1 Perth Cup, 2015 Group 2 , FINALIST 2015 Group 1 Adelaide Cup, 2015 Group 2 Horsham Cup, 2015 Group 2 Cup, 2015 Group 3 Silver Bullet, 2016 Group 2 Warragul Cup

Odds to win the Sapphire Crown: $5 with Sportsbet

1st Res – It's All Talk
Black Bitch – 26.6kg – March 2014
x Fainting Fairies
Prize money: $51,330
Trainer: Angela Galea
Career: 16: 13-1-0
Box: N/A
TD: 6: 3-1-0
TD Best: 29.52
Career Highlights: FINALIST 2015 Group 2 Laurels Classic

Odds to win the Sapphire Crown: $7 with Crownbet

2nd Res – Moonlit Wings
Black Bitch – 30.8kg – December 2013
Barcia Bale x My Secret Shiraz
Prize money: $14,275
Trainer: Angela Langton
Career: 17: 5-1-4
Box: N/A
TD: 12: 4-0-3
TD Best: 29.55
Career Highlights: WON Sandown Park 29.55, 34.39

Odds to win the Sapphire Crown: $41 with William Hill

Tips: 2 – 1 – 8 – 4

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