Unbeaten Northern Rivers sensation Billo’s Pick will go into Friday night’s fifth heat of the Betfair Blue Paws (520m) without the benefit of a trial on the Wentworth Park track.
His trainer, Casino-based Darryl Armfield, believes the lack of Wentworth Park experience and not the step up to 520m is the only query about his dog.
Billo’s Pick has displayed blinding speed to win each of his five races over 395m at Albion Park and 420m at Lismore but Darryl is confident the dog will “get’’ the extra journey.
“I slipped him post-to-post at Lismore last Friday and he clocked 26.06 which is very quick, while his middle sectional time was absolutely airborne," Armfield said.
“While I expect Billo’s Pick to run the distance I have a contingency plan if it turns out he can’t run a strong 520 metres.
“I’ll send him to Melbourne to be trained by Kel Greenough.
"I had originally planned to send him to Kel, instead of running him this week at Wenty, for the dog to tackle the Bendigo Cup.
“When Billo’s Pick won in 24.01 over 420m at Lismore at his latest race on June 10, it was only the eighth time the dog had been out of a set of starting boxes.’’
It’s not surprising Kel Greenough is keen to train Billo’s Pick as the Melbourne maestro won five group race finals with Paw Licking, another greyhound which began its career on the Northern Rivers circuit.
Billo’s Pick’s danger at Wentworth Park on Friday is definitely the JODIE Lord-trained Gotta Plan, who has won six of 10 provincial races, has been placed at Wentworth Park, and is ideally boxed in one.
Canowindra electrician David Grant has only been training greyhounds for just over a year but he has a great chance of landing a city winner from one of his first two starters at the Glebe track on Friday night.
His greyhound Cheeky Grant goes into the Dubbo To Wenty Final as easily the fastest heat winner, while her kennelmate Real Shiraz, a four-and-a-half year old veteran, was the other heat winner.
Cheeky Grant stormed home to win her heat over 516m at Dubbo on June 12 in 30.16 while Real Shiraz overcame a first turn check to lead throughout in 30.58.
“Although my bitches run the same first sectional times, Cheeky Grant is a bit quicker if I trial them together,’’ Grant said.
“But Real Shiraz is a tough little campaigner, she is able to take a bump better than Cheeky Grant.
“I would love to have seen Cheeky Grant in box one but even from box eight she will be hard to beat.
“Cheeky Grant has not seen Wentworth Park but Real Shiraz had a couple of trials and an unplaced race there before I started training her just over a year ago’’
Paua To Roar’s scratching from the Nowra To Wenty Final gives Madge’s Bunny’s a second-to-none chance of opening his city account.
Madge’s Bunny’s was heavily backed when a luckless second to Forward Thinking at his Wentworth Park debut last week.
The dog again found trouble when second to Walkaway Breeze in a fast-run heat of Friday night’s race at Nowra on Monday.
Madge’s Bunny’s is well boxed in two and while Walkaway Breeze can handle box seven he will need to begin smartly to get around the speedy wide runner Mike Lowrie, who has drawn six, in the charge to the first turn.
For Wentworth Park fields, form and expert tips, click here.
Best Bet: Aurora Girl (race 4)
Best Value: Ritza Ruby (race 7)
Quaddie race 5 – 2, 5, 6
Race 6 – 1, 8
Race 7 – 7, 5
Race 8 – 3, 8, 1
$20 for 55.55%
