Londonderry trainer Clay Mullens is hoping Fast Archer can bounce back from a disappointing Macro Meats Golden Easter Egg campaign with a win in the XXXX Gold Dapto Derby (520m) on Thursday night.
Fast Archer never featured in his heat of the Golden Easter Egg, finishing last in the event won by Dyna Nalin.
Mullens said the most disappointing aspect of Fast Archer's heat performance was his poor start - something the boom young trainer admits the son of Collision will have to overcome if he is to feature in the Dapto Derby.
"I was extremely disappointed with the run in his heat of the (Golden) Easter Egg. He just missed the kick and got left behind," Mullens said.
"It's worrying because he has done the same thing for about month now in all bar one of his starts. His form is just very hot and cold at the moment. I've done a little bit of work in the hopes of sorting it out but I think it just might be a matter of changing things up with him."
Mullens says Fast Archer has shown a liking for Dapto, a track where he has Won five from nine starts.
"That's why I nominated him for Dapto. I hope that a change of scenery away from Wentworth Park will help him," Mullens said.
"If he can the start right, he'll be fighting out the finish for sure. Hopefully going to Dapto will spark him up a bit and get him starting right again."
Fast Archer will line up from box six in the Derby, another factor that will work in his favour, according to Mullens.
"He's the sort of dog that can go from any box but I do prefer it when he's drawn a little bit closer to the rails.
Mullens has two runners in the Dapto Derby, with Rexroth lining up from box three.
"Rexroth has won three from four at Dapto, so it's one of his preferred tracks as well. I'm hoping for a good race from him as well but he's a wide runner and has a habit of going off at the first turn," Mullens said.
"That's a worry for me especially when Fast Archer is boxed outside him. So I'm hoping that either Rexroth steps cleanly and is in front of Fast Archer at the first turn or vice versa."
In terms of which of his runners he favours, Mullens could not split them.
"I think Fast Archer out of the two is the better race dog but Rexroth is capable too. I'm just hoping that Fast Archer will jump but I just don't know what's going to happen with him after what he's been doing in the past month.
"The dog in box one (Supercell) has drawn really well and goes nicely from that box. It's won quite a few races recently and is in very good hands so should be very tough to beat.
And the dog in box seven (Francois Dryva) has been flying recently, winning it's last couple of races but you can't ignore any of the other dogs in the race because the field is really high quality."
The heats of the Dapto Derby were abandoned last week after torrential rain hit the track prior to the meeting commencing.
As a result, nominations were called again for the final where $5,000 awaits the winner.
The first race at Dapto starts at 7.27pm on Thursday with the Dapto Derby taking place at 9.14pm.
