Five greyhounds from the Minnie Finn kennel are set to compete in the Zoom Top Maiden final over 440 meters at Goulburn on Friday, with the winner’s prize valued at $25,000. The contenders—Winsome Jumbo, Zipping Lebron, Coin Keeping, Peanut Keeping, and Zipping Jamal—represent a strong challenge, as the kennel aims to continue its recent success at the event.

Finn, who, along with her late husband John, trained the winners of the race in 2022 and 2023 with Zipping Orlando and Zipping Caleb respectively, acknowledged the competition posed by local trainers Jodie and Andy Lord. The Lord kennel has two finalists in Awesome Bandit and Bandit Abe, both of whom posted the fastest times in the heat rounds, clocking 24.43 and 24.46 seconds respectively.

“All of our finalists are high-quality dogs, and with a bit of luck, any of the five could secure the win,” Finn said. However, she emphasized the advantage held by the Lord pair, who are competing on their home track at Goulburn and have drawn the four and five boxes for the final. “They are very well-prepared and familiar with the track, which makes them formidable opponents,” she added.

Despite the strong presence of the Lord kennel, Finn remains optimistic about her team’s chances. Winsome Jumbo, a promising young dog, faces challenges related to running wide on the first turn at Goulburn, although he will start from the rails position. “That is a concern, but he is a capable competitor,” Finn commented.

Among her runners, Finn expressed particular confidence in Peanut Keeping, trained by her daughter-in-law Courtney Barnes. At 18 months old, Peanut Keeping has shown exceptional early pace, a quality Finn believes could prove decisive in the final. “She narrowly finished behind Bandit Abe in the heats, and her speed out of the traps will be an asset,” she said.

The Goulburn Zoom Top final is expected to be a closely contested event, with the Finn kennel seeking a third consecutive victory in the race and the Lord pair aiming to capitalize on their advantage as local trainers.