Greyhounds: $8,500 NZRS Graduation final tonight at Whanganui's Hatrick Raceway

This evening's feature $8,500 NZRS Graduation final (Race 7) presents a clash within a clash, as eight talented intermediate graded greyhound will be engaged in a race for the bonus breeders' dollars.

The bonus will be paid to the breeders of the first three chasers to finish in this 520m event.

NZRS feature events are restricted to New Zealand-bred greyhounds only, and are designed to reward the breeders of the greyhounds who will be required to attend the post-race podium.

Half of the allocated stake money is reserved for those breeders, in this instance $4250.
And that's where the spice in this final eventuates, as it has turned into a straight shootout between two strong breeding operations.

The Palmerston North-based Lisa and Brendon Cole breeding dynasty provides three finalists, plus the first reserve.

On the other side of the coin is the Canterbury-based Opawa Racing team, who will be represented in this decider by five greyhounds they have bred.

It was the Cole-prepared Big Time Harley who was easily the quickest qualifier from the three heats contested.

He ran away and hid from his rivals when delivering his slick 30.04s clock time.

He has to contend with the tricky five trap this evening.

Kennelmate Big Time Odette has stake claims after her bold 4.45 length second place to Our Tyson in their heat.

The Canterbury contenders have been the big winners from the box draw allocation.

Punters Bolt was bold when she delivered her track debut 30.50s heat win.

She owns both early pace, plus railing tendencies so her trainer Robin Wales will be rapt with her two trap draw.

Leading conditioners Dave and Jean Fahey have qualified two finalists with their trap one drawn Opawa Slick looming as a sound prospect, following his 2.25 length second to Punters Bolt on Slick's track debut.

Foxton trainer Marcie Flipp has qualified two runners, with Our Tyson looming as her best chance from his eight trap draw, after he led throughout for his 30.45s heat win.

The Taranaki GRC will host their annual TAB meeting at Hatrick on Monday afternoon with 15 races carded.

Unless there's a scratching, the feature $6,500 Croucher & Crowder Taranaki Cup will be won by a Lisa Cole-prepared greyhound, as all eight drawn runners are mentored in her Palmerston North kennels.

The pacey Big Time Ocean is likely to attempt an all-the-way win here from her kind one trap draw.

Auckland Cup finalists Bigtime Rod and Big Time Izzy hold stake claims in this event.