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THE quality and reputation of Dubbo's Anzac Carnival has reached a point where the state's leading trainers are getting involved and that is set to continue for years to come.
Dubbo Greyhound Racing Club president Shayne Stiff said he is delighted with the interest in the 2015 carnival and the trainers that will be in attendance for Sunday's final.
"To have trainers like Anthony Azzopardi and Melinda and John Finn coming to Dubbo is fantastic and it shows that if you put the prize money up, you attract the leading trainers.
"The Gold Cup is worth $25,000 and has Group 3 status but we also have the Bill and Peg Miller series which offers $10,000 for dogs that are maiden or less than two wins and the Shakey Jakey Future Stars which has $4000.
"Most trainers would have dogs that fall into all of those categories so they can come and compete for some very good prizes. I think that structure has helped to grow the carnival."
The field for the $25,000 Cosmic Rumble Gold Cup in particular is outstanding, with two finalists from the Azzopardi kennels and one of Melinda Finn's, as well as a pair from leading country trainer Neil Staines.
Stiff said he expects them to all play a role in the final.
"Still Searchin' for Melinda Finn has drawn box one and it will improve from its first run and Country Fox for Neil Staines is a big chance from box four. Neil is having a big carnival, he has had a stack of winners already and even though he is badly boxed, he should still improve.
"The best local chance is Leighton Winter's Total Silence but it has a bad box draw in seven while Anthony Azzopardi's pair Topper Road and Fancy Top also have improvement in them.
While Staines' has been successful so far during the Dubbo carnival, Azzopardi also has an outstanding winning record, mainly at metropolitan tracks and
Graham 'Buck' Rogers has worked with the Azzopardi family for years and spends four days a week with Anthony at Moneyshot Lodge at Londonderry. He said the trainer wouldn't bring dogs to Dubbo unless he thought he could get a win.
"He's got two in the final so he'd be happy with that. They're very well prepared and will be in with a chance," Rogers said.
He said the main reason Azzopardi has had so much success is because of the hard work he puts in.
"He got into the training at a very young age, he would have trained his first one when he was about 15 and he has always had a great work ethic," he explained.
"You will see him now, he will get home from a meeting at Dapto at 1am in the morning and he will be up again at 5.30am ready to go for another day. That's what you have to do in this industry to succeed."
Sunday's meeting gets underway at 6.12pm with the Gold Cup the eighth race on the program at 8.38pm.