Postman Pat On A Million Dollar Chase Mission

Champion trainer Jason Thompson has confirmed his budding superstar Postman Pat is "100 per cent" being targeted at the Million Dollar Chase (MDC).

Postman Pat has captured the imagination of greyhound enthusiasts across Australia and New Zealand with a string of exhilarating performances.

Million Dollar Chase sponsor Ladbrokes has Postman Pat installed as the $7 favourite for the world's richest greyhound racing series which offers a $1m winner's purse.

"The Million Dollar Chase is his main target going forward," Thompson said.

"The next major race on the calendar is the Nationals and that's what he'll be aimed at but after that is all about the Million Dollar Chase."

Earlier this week Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW) announced the qualifying races for the 2023 MDC with the Final to be held at Wentworth Park on October 13.

For the first time this year, the first four placegetters in the Nationals Sprint Final at The Meadows on August 10 will be offered a place in the MDC Semi Finals at Wentworth Park on October 6.

@SkyRacingAU Brisbane Cup Prelude 520m

1st: Postman Pat (3) – 29.39
2nd: Shipwreck ( 8 )
3rd: Crumble Monelli (4)#QLDisRacing@RaceQLD @tabcomau @SkyRacingAU @GerardDaffy @Bunny_Brasch @GRV_News pic.twitter.com/I0vyPFqWsj

— Brisbane Greyhounds (@BrisGreys) June 22, 2023

"It makes the Nationals much more enticing by having the chance to qualify for the Million Dollar Chase semis," Thompson said.

"Not only are we racing for good prizemoney, there's also a very lucrative carrot if we can finish in the first four."

Thompson confirmed he's likely to target four members of his star-studded kennel at the MDC series with Postman Pat to be joined by Alpha Zulu, Umberto and Tim Zoo.

He also praised GRNSW for continuing to evolve the MDC qualification process to not only offer heats at 16 NSW regional tracks but also in upcoming feature races.

"Even offering the chance to qualify for the Million Dollar Chase semi-finals via the Dapto Megastar and the Black Top has now put those races on our radar," he said.

"It's a major incentive and I'll be shocked if it doesn't attract stronger entries from interstate trainers."

The Dapto Megastar will this year be run on September 7 while the Black Top will be held on September 22 at The Gardens.