Londonderry trainer Christine Proctor had a great 2013 and has started this year with a bang but she has also endured more than her share of bad luck.
Zippy Chicki, the star of her team, has been sidelined with the same seasonal condition which ended her sister and kennelmate Miss Chicki’s career, and now Inner City has been injured and will miss Saturday night’s Richmond Derby heats.
So Christine was entitled to breathe a sigh of relief when her smart youngster Awesome Amber drew box seven in Saturday night’s Bohemia Crystal Stakes at Wentworth Park.
"She definitely likes to be drawn wide," Christine said.
"Awesome Amber led all the way from box eight to win at Wentworth Park in good time on February 14 when she was having her first run there out of the starting boxes.
"She pulled up well after last Saturday’s unplaced run from box two and is raring to go.
"All she had this week was a hit-out up the straight which is all my dogs ever get when they are racing from week to week."
Richmond president Ross Burton snared a bargain for mining magnate Kevin Maloney when he paid $8,000 for Woods after the dog had won just one race at Wentworth Park.
Woods has won another five races in town under the care of Ross’ wife, Marie, and has a great chance of adding to his tally in Saturday night’s third Macro Meats Easter Egg Prelude at Wentworth Park.
Woods has box three and is very fit according to Ross Burton.
"He is a handy dog and his early speed is a big plus," Ross said.
"His chances always depend on whether he can get to the lead soon after the start because he is a front runner.
"If there is not too much around him he is always a good hope of leading all the way."
There was a doubt about Woods’ stamina early in the dog’s career but he has now earned more than $39,000 in prizemoney and has proven his ability to run a solid 520m at Wentworth Park.
The dog is raced by Kevin Maloney, owner of thoroughbred racing’s showpiece stud farm, Segenhoe, and who has 71 racehorses in training.
But Kevin has always retained his enthusiasm for greyhounds, thanks to growing up as the son of the late Joe Maloney, a long term committee man of the National Coursing Association.
Sherlock ruined the chances of odds-on favourite Stilton Blue at Wentworth Park last Saturday night but could become the punters’ pinup on Saturday.
Sherlock is ideally drawn in box eight in the opening event and has the early speed to lead throughout at juicy odds.
Last week Sherlock led to the first turn from box one but ran wide as he usually does and flattened Stilton Blue, who was running a close second.
Sherlock’s race on Saturday is crammed with early pace dogs and whoever leads at the first corner should win.
Sherlock has the best box and should only need to begin as smartly as he did last week to be the pacemaker at the crucial first corner.
Suits Us bungled the start before finishing second to Eleazar in fast time over 720m at Wentworth Park last Saturday and should only need to step away cleanly to win Saturday night’s Sportingbet Stayers Stakes.
"I don’t know what happened to him when the boxes opened last week," trainer Ken Burnett said.
Suits Us is usually a fair beginner and from box three is drawn to find the rails on Saturday and take his Wentworth Park 720m record to three wins and seven placings from 16 appearances.
Best Bet: Woods (Race 7)
Best Value: Sherlock (Race 1)
Quaddie: Race 5 – 2, 4, 3
Race 6 – 4, 3
Race 7 - 3, 5
Race 8 – 6, 1, 8
$20 for 55.55%
