‘The 715' Calling For Sandown Cup Queen

TRAINER Dustin Drew has declared Sandown Cup winner Untapped a certain starter in the inaugural ‘The 715' which gets underway at Ladbrokes Gardens on Saturday week.

Still on cloud nine following his star chaser's mesmerising Group 1 Sandown Cup triumph last week, Drew is in the midst of finalising plans for an assault on the world's richest staying event which carries a first prize of an eye-watering $500,000.

"It's pretty amazing what New South Wales is doing, for a long time there Victoria was the envy but I think we've kind of fallen back a bit now," Drew said.

"After the Sandown Cup I did um and ah about whether to go to the race but at the end of the day kept coming back to the fact I might not ever get a chance to go in a race like this again.

WATCH: A determined front-running display saw UNTAPPED (B7) shake off enormous pressure from JARICK BALE (B8) and win tonight's $262,500 Group 1 RSN #SandownCup.@RSN927 #GreyhoundRacing @sandowndogs pic.twitter.com/kdgLvwxLZa

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) May 19, 2022

"She's racing as well as ever and just has so much confidence at the moment. Her trials going into the Sandown Cup were her best ever and she was there to be beaten in the final but toughed it out and found a way.

"It's been an amazing few weeks."

While Drew has declared the 14-time winning daughter of Aston Dee Bee a certain starter in the series, he's yet to map out and finalise her preparation.

"But I've decided she won't trial at the track before the heats," Drew said.

"In the end the extra travel against what we get out of the trial I decided wasn't worth it. She goes good at tracks first look and being a front-runner I think helps as well.

"Someone said to me the other day that The Gardens is a leaders track and I said as far as I'm concerned every track is. In front is where you want to be.

"As far as getting there, we are just looking at flight options now and what we do. Having had trips to Perth and Sydney before is a plus. She's very seasoned now." 

The emergence of Untapped as a group 1 winner and one of the sport's premier stayers is one of the most heartwarming stories of 2022.

And while confident his star chaser is racing at the top of her game, Drew believes it's going to be an enormous task to beat some of NSW's best stayers on their home turf.

"It's going to be a big ask beating the best NSW dogs in their backyard," Drew conceded.

"SO GOOD"

Dennington-based trainer Dustin Drew was still in amazement after UNTAPPED prevailed in the world's premier distance race – the $175,000 to-the-winner Group 1 @RSN927 #SandownCup Final at @sandowndogs.#GreyhoundRacing #PremierRacing pic.twitter.com/9n706OMzB0

— WatchDog Racing (@WatchDogRacing) May 19, 2022

"Jason Mackay's Cool Bourbski won on Friday beating Frank Hurst's Sound Of Silence and obviously we didn't see the best of Super Estrella in Victoria but she's a very good bitch also.

"And then there is Zipping Kansas who I wouldn't be writing off either. It's going to be a very good series."

Following her Newcastle assignment, Drew will send Untapped – a graduate of the 2019 National Greyhound Draft – to Brisbane for the lucrative winter carnival.

"I've got a really good handle on what works and doesn't work for her now – I made a few mistakes early but I know her back to front  now," Drew said.

"She's fit and healthy and I'd say I'll just give her a 400 trial somewhere before the heats. Other than that she'll get worked pretty hard at home, her base fitness is there.

"I've never been to Newcastle before so I'm looking forward to the trip. She's taking me to places and giving me a great ride."