Surprise Packet The One To Beat In Laurels Classic

TRAINER Des Douch will chase his biggest race win as a trainer on Thursday night when Here Comes Milli starts odds-on in the Group 2 Laurels Classic (515m).

Starting the odds-on favourite for the Group 2 Laurels Classic was the furthest thing from trainer Des Douch's mind when Here Comes Milli first stepped out on the track.

FIELDS AND FORM SANDOWN PARK THURSDAY

By boom sire Bernado out of Douch's multiple Group 1 finalist middle distance bitch Bruegelino, Here Comes Milli showed modest ability in her early work.

"After her first couple of runs I thought if I could win a grade 6 and 7 at Sandown with her I'd be happy," Douch said.

"Then all of sudden she just jumped out of the ground, just improved out of sight.

"I wasn't expecting this, that's for sure."

Still a month shy of her second birthday, Here Comes Milli has already won nine of her 18 starts – including five of eight at Sandown Park – and will contest her second group final on Thursday having already lined up in in the Group 3 Cup Night Sprint on Melbourne Cup night.

Here comes Milli goes all of the way to secure her spot in next week's Laurels Classic for a happy group of connections! pic.twitter.com/zpqoUnOEVC

— Sandown Greyhounds (@sandowndogs) December 7, 2023

Much of her early success can be attributed to her early speed.

In each of her five Sandown Park victories, she's split 5.05 or faster and that, according to Douch, is the key to her chances on Thursday.

"The start is the main thing," he said.

"If she gets the start right – she usually comes out around 5.00s – she's strong at the end as well, so if she leads she'll take some beating.

"There are other dogs in there that are quick early and some that are strong at the end, but I just think if she can find the lead she can get away with it."

A win in the $87,000 Classic would be the biggest win of Douch's career and he will have a strong support crew trackside to share the experience, with owners Greg Rowe and Barry Stockdale also making the trip from East Gippsland.

"It'd be magnificent to win this," he said.

"The little girl does tries her guts out, does nothing wrong at home, just does everything right and I'd be rapt for the dog if she could win it.

"And the boys – they're pretty good on the drink, they'll be doing a bit of celebrating.

"We'll have to make a few stops on the way home I reckon!"

As for what's next beyond the Laurels, Douch, a former thoroughbred trainer, has pencilled in a tilt at a race closer to his Maffra home.

"I'd really, really love to win the Traralgon Cup," he said.

"We lived at that racecourse for years and years and trained horses there.

"We never won it with a horse – we came second one year, beaten a nose – and I had my first runner last year and he ran third (River Rough).

"I'd love to win the Traralgon Cup, that'd be the one that'd really give me a big thrill."

Here Comes Milli is the $1.80 favourite with TAB to win the Laurels Classic, Race 8 at Sandown Park, on Thursday night.

* Picture: Jason McKeown