Early in Cosmic Angel’s career trainer Anthony Azzopardi rated him faster than his Group 1 Maturity Classic finalist Shoulders.
But a sequence of “hiccups’’ has prevented Cosmic Angel coming to Wentworth Park until this Friday night where he will make his debut from box six in the Bohemia Crystal Stakes.
Azzopardi is just back from an eight weeks campaign with 16 dogs in Melbourne, where he won 14 metropolitan races and several at the provincials.
“Cosmic Angel looked like being a top notcher but has had a lot of bad luck including a broken toe and an injured sesamoid bone,’’ the Londonderry trainer said. “But he is right at his top now and I expect him to handle Wentworth Park perfectly.
“Cosmic Angel led all the way from box eight at Dapto in May, clocking fast time of 29.89, and the way he raced there I think he is well suited out wide in box six at Wenty.
“The dog won at The Meadows on June 25 but was misjudging the start in his Melbourne races. Hopefully the return to the NSW-style boxes will see him jump smartly on Friday.
“I also have Zipping Tank in box eight in the same race and while he wants an inside box and is a bit tardy early he is very strong.
“If Zipping Tank happened to be sitting on Cosmic Angel’s hammer down the back straight he might run him down but the way they are boxed I doubt if he will able to get too close in the early stages.’’
Chances Are has been runner-up in four out of five starts for her new trainer Sergio Forner but is expected to break through after finally drawing an inside alley in Friday night’s www.Wentworthpark.com.au Stakes.
She has had boxes four, six (twice) and seven in her four second placings at the Glebe track since late June and has chased home smarter sprinters than she tackles on Friday.
“It’s about time she drew inside - she is desperate for box one,’’ Forner said.
“When her owner Brian Grant was training her she won 11 races despite racing with a corn embedded in her foot most of the time.
“Since we discovered the corn and had it removed she has been going really well although occasionally when being walked she does a little hop in the air, just from force of habit.
“Chances Are is only little, just over 25 kilograms, but she is very strong.’’
Forner landed his first city winner in 30 years as a trainer when Chasing Karma won at Wentworth Park in January 2012, but missed seeing the race because of work commitments.
“And when Chasing Karma won his second race in a row I was in DARWIN visiting my grandchild,’’ he said.
“Fortunately the dog, who is now a pet on my son’s property, won a third straight race at Wenty in January 2012, so I finally got to see him win in town.
“But wild horses wouldn’t keep me away from seeing Chances Are in action on Friday.’’
One of the safest bets on Friday night should be Zipping Willow, who was not entered for the National Sprint Championship series because she is a bad traveller.
“There was no point nominating her for the Nationals because the grand final is in Perth and I wouldn’t consider taking her on such a long flight,’’ trainer Jason Mackay said.
Zipping Willow is chasing her 15th win in 20 Wentworth Park starts in Friday night’s Pepsi Max Stakes and it seems only an out of character bad getaway can bring her undone.
Cheeky Grant was unplaced when fastest qualifier in a Dubbo To Wenty final on June 20 but should atone for that defeat in a similar race on Friday night.
Cheeky Grant was again the quickest heat winner but while he drew poorly in box eight in his previous Wenty final he is superbly positioned near the rails in box two on Friday night.
Best Bet: Brasko Khan (Race 3)
Best Value: Chances Are (Race 10)
Quaddie: Race 5 – 1, 4, 6
Race 6 – 5, 2, 3
Race 7 – 7, 4
Race 8 – 5, 2
$20 for 55.55%
