Victory Belle, sidelined for ten months with a broken hock, could be poised to complete a remarkable comeback by scoring her first Wentworth Park win on Friday night.
Trained at New Lambton by Greg Adamthwaite, Victory Belle is ideally drawn in box one in heat five of the Macro Meats Sprint Series.
At her only Wentworth Park start on July 18 Victory Belle showed good speed in the run to the first turn where she was badly hampered before finishing sixth to Lucy Lobster.
Victory Belle then finished strongly to beat a smart field over 600m at The Gardens in a slick 34.88.
Greg Adamthwaite is a hobby trainer but is no stranger to Wentworth Park success, with his past 11 starters at the Glebe track producing five winners.
“My most recent Wenty winners were Sister Ping and Bent while Victory Belle is a daughter of my own bitch, Diamondo,’’ Adamthwaite said.
“Diamondo is a sister to the National Futurity winner Daydream and was such a promising youngster I sent her to DAVE Irwin in Queensland to train.
“DAVE soon phoned to say she was something really special but a week later called again to tell me Diamondo had broken a hock and was finished as a racing proposition.
“Her first litter to Collision includes Victory Belle who doesn’t get out of the boxes real quick but can show early speed.
“She has broken five seconds for the first split at The Gardens so she can go when she wants to.
“When Victory Belle finished sixth at Wentworth Park on July 18 she had not seen the track in a trial because work commitments prevent me from getting to Sydney too frequently.
“But I expect her to go well on Friday night because she loves an inside box so the rails draw will suit her.’’
Alan’s Kidz pulled up well after chasing home the smart Father Skeeta at Gosford on Tuesday and she is drawn to run a bold race from box one in heat six of the Macro Meats Sprint Series.
“Alan’s Kidz had never seen Wentworth Park before she led and finished second to Droopy’s Bay on July 11," Ken Barndem, whose fatehr Bobn trains the greyhound, said.
“Her first two sections that night were pretty quick and we expect her to make the pace again from box one.
“If she gets beaten we think it will only be in the final 20 metres or so.’’
Experienced trainer Mick Blissett was left reeling after Glad Bag finished a distant fifth at his Wentworth Park debut last week and is hoping the dog can turn that form around in heat four of the Macro Meats Sprint Series on Friday night.
Glad Bag had staged an outstanding performance to win at Richmond from box five on July 16 but bungled the start completely and raced very wide early before a lacklustre fifth last Friday night at Wentworth Park.
“I took him down to Wenty before last week’s race and he trialled 30.10 seconds," Blissett said.
"I expected him to go close to winning.
“But while Glad Bag was checked on the back straight I was very disappointed with his run.
“He is a lot better than that though and while I have always considered him a box eight dog maybe at Wenty he is better off drawn near the rails so we’ll see how he goes from box two on Friday.
“Glad Bag is not real speedy out of the boxes but once he hits the ground he can go quick.
“Coolabah Jet, who has box five in Glad Bag’s race, won in 29.97 at Wenty on July 19 and if he runs that again we can’t win.
“But Glad Bag does have plenty of ability and has a future.’’
For Wentworth Park fields, form and expert tips, click here.
Best Bet: Sneaky Bonanza (Race 7)
Best Value: Little Butterfly (Race 2)
Quaddie: Race 5 – 8, 1
Race 6 – 2, 4, 7, 8
Race 7 – 3, 2
Race 8 – 6, 2, 1
$20 for 41.66%
