Perth Cup winner Keybow is likely to start a short-priced favourite as he chases further Group racing glory in the heats of the Brandons Electrical Queensland Derby (520m) at Albion Park on Thursday night.
Keybow (pictured) was one of the early favourites for the Macro Meats Golden Easter Egg, but after an impressive heat win the Darren McDonald chaser bowed out of the series when he finished seventh in his semi final.
While the result in the Golden Easter Egg would have been disappointing for Keybow’s connections, the Derby heats should lift their spirits as Keybow will jump from box two in heat five, a draw from which he has won six times from seven starts.
If Keybow can win his heat he will no doubt go in as favourite for next week’s Group 2 Queensland Derby final where $40,000 awaits the winner.
McDonald will have two runners in Thursday night’s heats, with Where’s The Surf lining up in heat two earlier in the night.
Like Keybow, Where’s The Surf is backing up from a Golden Easter Egg campaign, in which he qualified for the major race’s consolation – the Group 3 Ambrosoli. Starting from box one in the race last weekend, Where’s The Surf started well but was no match for Ritza Hattie and Dyna Nalin, finishing third in the race.
Where’s The Surf should find Thursday’s heat an easier assignment where he will jump from box seven.
Another greyhound to keep an eye out for in the derby heats is the 2013 Brisbane Cup runner-up Battistuzzi. Trained by Franck Hancock, Battistuzzi has been struggling for a bit of form of late, leading him to finish out of the placings at his last two starts at Albion Park.
However, the son of Collision can never be discounted from the big races and he is definitely the one to beat in heat four where he will jump from box six. Standing in his way, however, will bethe Reg Kay-trained Size Does Matter, who has won two straight at Ipswich coming into Thursday’s race and is well drawn in box three.
The Queensland Derby heats are just part of the great racing at Albion Park on Thursday, which will also feature the final of the Group 2 Macro Meats Bogie Leigh Futurity (520m).
Jeffrey Britton has two of the favoured runners in the $40,000-to-the-winner futurity with Oakvakle Destiny and Oakvale Flyer. Oakvale Destiny is likely to be favourite for the race following her brilliant heat win in which she ran a best of night 30.01.
The first of the Queensland Derby heats is race 2 on the Albion Park program, starting at 6.57pm, with the Bogie Leigh Futurity race 7 and jumping at 8.44pm.
Best Bet: Oakvale Destiny (Race 7)
Best Value: Size Does Matter (Race 5)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 3, 6
Race 6 - 2
Race 7 - 6, 7
Race 8 - 1, 6, 8
$20 for 166.66%
