The inaugural GRV Battler’s Cup has proven extremely popular with ten heats to be conducted at Bendigo on Wednesday afternoon and the conditions of the race appear to have achieved the desired result of having predominantly hobby trainers and the genuine lower class greyhounds competing for the significant stake money on offer.

Week in week out the tier three classed greyhounds, or in simple terms, the slower or lesser performed greyhounds, compete for the minimum level of prize money in Victoria with the winners taking home $825 however those lucky enough to qualify for the Battler’s Cup final on July 3 will be competing for $5,000 to the winner – the equivalent of a city class win.

No less than 56 individual trainers will be represented in the ten heats with 44 of those having just the one runner in the series, showing the interest from across the state to take part in the inaugural event.

The eight fastest heat winners from Wednesday will progress to the final on Friday night July 3 with the other two heat winners being drawn as reserves for the final. A consolation for provincial full stakes will also be conducted on the BGRA’s biggest night that features no less than seven feature races on the card.

Racing on Wednesday afternoon kicks off at 2.12pm, then the BGRA’s winter carnival continues Friday night with the running of the Hip Pocket Bendigo Winter Cup heats and GRV Vic Bred maiden heats before a Sunday program featuring heats of the Group 2 Triple M Bendigo Cup and Mannings Greyhound Complex Vic Bred Series.