Rising sprinter Hillbilly Flash will take on his toughest test since the Perth Cup when he tackles a red hot heat of the Winter Cup (530m) at Cannington on Saturday.
Over the past three weeks, the Paul Stuart-trained speedster has struck a vein of form rich enough to make that other famous hillbilly, Jed Clampett, blush.
Two wins over the rampaging On Coin were followed by a brilliant run last week, where he produced a personal best time of 30.13.
His task in the Winter Cup heat will be considerably more difficult as he will once again have to deal with On Coin as well as the returning Zelemar Fever.
Little more than a month ago this sort of opposition would have been beyond Hillbilly Flash (pictured with Stuart) but he is racing in career best form and with the advantage of an inside draw he is a huge hope.
Zelemar Fever comes back into the fray following her fall in the final of the Sapphire Crown just over a fortnight ago.
While she was slightly sluggish out of the traps in her last start, which led to her problems, if Zelemar Fever shows her usual launching velocity she will be pressing hard her victory.
On Coin, as always, is a chance to surge over the top of all of them if he gets a decent run.
With only two heats all three chasers are a good chance to make it through to the final.
With the absence of a clear standout the other heat (race 5) looks an open affair.
Centurion chaser One Banana continues to be more than serviceable for trainer John Iwanyk and although he has not saluted the judge since mid-March he has been thereabouts and from the pole he can make his presence felt.
This is the sort of race that Saving Bundles should win but she will need to overcome a wide draw and you can never take anything for granted with this talented but frustrating greyhound.
Thunder Rama, Black Dymas and Gomes also have claims.
Best Bet: Bollee Boy (Race 3)
Best Value: Reverberate (Race 8)
Quaddie: Race 5 – 1, 3, 5, 6
Race 6 – 3, 4, 6
Race 7 – 1, 5
Race 8 – 1, 6, 8
$20 for 27.77%
