QLD And NSW Set For Origin Battle

THURSDAY night's blockbuster Albion Park program, which sees Queensland and New South Wales go toe-to-toe for State of Origin supremacy, took further shape on Monday with the all-important box draws conducted.

With both states unveiling outstanding teams last Friday, New South Wales' TAB Origin Sprint (520m) claims will be led by Jason Mackay's Group 1 Golden Easter Egg winner Zipping Bailey, drawn ideally in box two.

The daughter of Barcia Bale had her first hit-out at the Albion Park circuit in a 395m trial on Sunday for trainer Jason Mackay, covering the journey in an electrifying 22.49 – not surprisingly, breaking the run home record in the process.

"She's jumping out of her skin," enthused Mackay on Monday from Queensland.

"The box draw looks perfect, her trial yesterday was sensational – to run that time when we know she doesn't even get warmed up until 400 metres tells me she's right on song, she handled the track perfect.

"I took her for a walk Monday afternoon and went about 1 ½ kilometres and she dragged me the whole way. I've checked her right over and she's good to go, she'll be very hard to beat Thursday."

Zipping Bailey will be joined in Thursday's $40,000 to-the-winner Origin Sprint by fellow NSW trained runners Mystic Riot (box 3) and Jamella Jet (box 4), first and second in last October's inaugural Million Dollar Chase at Wentworth Park, and Good Odds Harada, the Group 3 Bob Payne Sprint winner drawn perfectly in box eight for Frank Hurst.

WATCH: Jury's 2018 State of Origin sprint victory

Queensland's TAB Origin Sprint hopes will be led by Brett Hazelgrove's group winning chaser Dam Slippery, the daughter of Dyna Double One drawn the red for Thursday's showpiece event.

The Richmond Oaks winner is joined by last start Rockhampton Cup hero Regal Recall (box 6), Regal Topaz (box 7), and grand campaigner Maurice Minor for Tom Tzouvelis (box 5).

The $40,000 to-the-winner TAB Origin Distance (710m) promises to be a ripping contest also.

Representing the home state will be Darren Russell's recent Group 1 Sandown Cup finalist Bago Bye Bye (box 4), the big striding son of Barcia Bale sure to be hard to beat back to Albion Park where he has recorded some flying times at the distance.

The Group 1 New Zealand Cup winner lines up alongside kennelmate Bago Bluff (box 6) and Joanne Price's recent group 3 Winter Chase winner Infrared Lad, the son of Bella Infrared drawn in box five.

Rounding out Queensland's chances is last year's SOO distance winner Double Gee for Selena Zammit.

A recent runner-up to Infrared Lad in the Winter Chase finale, Double Gee, winner of the Group 2 Summer Plate at Wentworth Park earlier this year, has drawn ideally in box two for the $40,000 to-the-winner spectacle.

WATCH: Double Gee's 2018 Origin Distance success

New South Wales' Origin distance claims will be powered by John Finn-trained littermates Poco Dorado (7), Veloce Nero (8) and Blue Moon Rising (3) – the group winning trio finishing first, second and fourth in a 717-metre event at Richmond on Friday night.

They will be joined by Ray Smith's Little Digger sitting up in box one, the same draw the son of Fernando Bale had when a solid winner over the Albion Park 710 metres last Thursday in 42.31.

One of the most daunting tasks in greyhound racing is the prospect of tackling NSW galloper Feral Franky (box 1) under match race conditions, a job that will be left to the Joanne Price-trained Infrared Star (box 3) in the TAB Origin Match Race (520m) this Thursday.

Appearing to have a vice-like-grip on the two-dog contest for Forbes trainer Ray Smith, Feral Franky will prove awfully hard to beat in the $25,000 to-the-winner event, following his impressive 29.57 trial at Albion Park last Thursday.

All distance dynamo Infrared Star has track experience on his side and is a proven big race performer right up to 710 metres and he will be sure to do Queensland proud in what looms as an enthralling two-dog battle.

It promises to be a thrilling night of racing.

State against state, mate against mate!

State of Origin Sprint (520m)

1. Dam Slippery
2. Zipping Bailey
3. Mystic Riot
4. Jamella Jet
5. Maurice Minor
6. Regal Recall
7. Regal Topaz
8. Good Odds Harada
9. Silver Stunner
10. Buck's Future

State of Origin Distance (710m)

1. Little Digger
2. Double Gee
3. Blue Moon Rising
4. Bago Bye Bye
5. Infrared Lad
6. Bago Bluff
7. Poco Dorado
8. Veloce Nero
9. Hara's Dazza
10. Two Times Twice

Origin Match Race (520m)

Feral Franky (box one)
Infrared Star (box three)
Dynamite Lucy
Fernando Blaster