Jason Thompson's Explicit clinched victory in the event, which saw wagering turnover approach $1.6 million, surpassed only by the 2020 and 2021 Melbourne Cup races.
The financial success was mirrored by impressive attendance figures at the Sportsbet Topgun and Sportsbet Melbourne Cup nights, key events in Victoria's Dream Chasers Festival.
Total turnover for Saturday's Sandown Park meeting soared to $8.9 million, marking a near 29 per cent surge from the previous year's $6.9 million.
The Melbourne Cup heats night also demonstrated robust growth, with turnover of $7.3 million, up 17.5 per cent from 2023.
The Topgun night on November 9 raked in more than $7.2 million in wagers. Across the five feature race meetings this spring, cumulative wagering amounted to $33.4 million, a 7.5 per cent increase from the previous year.
Greyhound Racing Victoria's chief executive Stuart Laing weighed in on the event's success.
“To record the third-highest turnover rate of all time and the sixth-highest Victorian turnover meeting of all time is a positive sign that interest and engagement in Victorian greyhound racing is high following a particularly soft 2023 festival,” he said.
Laing attributed the growing engagement to positive media attention and live broadcasts on Racing.com.
“The crowd and atmosphere at Saturday night's Sportsbet Melbourne Cup was one of the best at cup night in years and follows a particularly good attendance at The Meadows for Topgun night,” he said.
The 2024 Dream Chasers Festival will culminate with The Phoenix at The Meadows on December 21, boasting a total prize pool of $1.65 million.
This event, along with three other major race meetings, will be broadcast live on Racing.com.
