Greyhound Racing NSW is delighted to announce that expectations have been exceeded with 150 pups nominated for the upcoming GRNSW Puppy Auction.

In January, GRNSW announced details of the auction to be held on May 26 this year, and when nominations for pups closed on March 1 there was quality to match the quantity with some very well bred pups expected to be popular and attract significant bidding interest.

All five pups from the Fernando Bale-She's A Pearl litter have been nominated, with those from the champion bitch's first litter already expected to be sale toppers.

French Martini, who made four Group 1 finals, the final of the 2022 Million Dollar Chase, and won the Group 2 Black Top, is represented by two pups by Fernando Bale.

Good Odds Cash, winner of the Group 1 National Sprint Championship, the Maitland Gold Cup, the Richmond Oaks, and second to She's A Pearl in the 2022 Golden Easter Egg has one pup by Barcia Bale in the Auction.

Caitlyn Keeping, dam of Group 1 Megastar finalist Return Mac, and Coonamble Gold Maiden and Perth Cup Consolation winner Kip Keeping, has two pups by Droopys Sydney, while 12-time Group finalist, and winner of the Richmond Oaks, Yuko Girl, will be represented by pups from her first litter by Fernando Bale.

GRNSW will also be holding a Ready to Run Auction on the same day as the Puppy Auction in May, with full details of that event to be released soon.

JAY'S BIG WEEK

It was a big week for young Orange trainer Jay Opetaia. On February 22 Jay was awarded the Young Achiever Award at the annual GRNSW Greyhound of the Year ceremony.

The following night he qualified runners for both the Group 2 Richmond Oaks and Group 2 Richmond Derby finals, and a week later the 20-year-old experienced the biggest win of his training career when Go Bears took out the $50,000 Derby.

Congratulations also to Greg Remfrey who took out the $50,000 Oaks with the first dog he has ever trained, Shanghai Suzie.

COUNTRY CLASSIC

The greyhound racing spotlight shines on Dubbo on March 16 with the third edition of the world's richest middle-distance event, the Ladbrokes Country Classic.

Apart from watching the best middle-distance greyhounds in the country race for $125,000 first prize, there will be plenty of on-course activity, and so it wouldn't be a surprise to see visitors come from far and wide to Dubbo for the night.

The club will have on-course musical entertainment from the band Just Us and Duncan Ferguson, and will also have a bucking bull competition with the best male and female riders earning themselves $1000 each, but for those not wanting or willing to ride the bull you can still win big with a huge lucky door prize on offer as well.

This article was produced as part of an ACM partnership with Greyhound Racing NSW.