Stilton Blue may be rusty but trainer Phil Goodsell is hoping his exciting chaser’s love affair with Dapto can continue and earn him a shot at next week's Group 1 Sportingbet Megastar (520m).
The speedy sprinter (pictured) has not raced for two months but will line up in the Megastar Prelude on Friday night, with a place in next Friday’s $75,000-to-the-winner race up for grabs.
This year’s Group 3 Nowra Summer Puppy Classic winner and Group 3 Sportingbet Bulli Gold Cup runner-up is a class performer on his day but faces some tough opposition in the Prelude.
He does at least have a 100 per cent winning record from three previous visits to the track and Nowra-based Goodsell thinks those successes could be useful.
“It’s a pretty good field but he has a good strike record at Dapto,” Goodsell said. “He seems to handle the wide track there well.
“It’s a short trip from my home which I think suits him. He’s not always the best traveller.
“It’s going to be tough but good dogs make their own luck so we’ll see how he does.”
Stilton Blue hit a real purple patch of form earlier this year, finishing no lower than second in nine consecutive outings between April and June.
He was taken south for a shot at July’s Group 1 Hudson Pacific Maturity Classic heats but the Melbourne air obviously didn’t agree with him, as the chaser finished sixth.
Since then he has enjoyed a break and will go in to the race fresh.
One of NSW’s most eye-catching performers on his day, he has gone sub-30 seconds on every previous outing at Dapto.
His record of 12 wins from 28 starts demands respect but box six may not prove a favourable draw, although Goodsell remains confident.
“With his speed he can cross early and hit the front,” the trainer said.
“I think good dogs make their own luck and sometimes it’s not about the draw.
“There’s speedy dogs in there like Shoulders. It’s going to be tough to stop them.
“He was always going to have a break after Melbourne. He’s trialled well and he’s nice and fresh.”
Shoulders (box four) is in great form, while Queenslander Exhibitionist could be tough to stop from the seven.
Push It finished runner-up in last week’s Group 2 $40,000-to-the-winner Black Top Final but has drawn unfavourably in box eight.
The race goes at 8.40pm, with the top three finishers through to next week’s final.
The Megastar is the second leg of Greyhound Racing NSW's exciting new Thank Dog It's Friday racing series.
The series will showcase some of the best racing at regional NSW tracks over the coming months and offers a host of prizes as well.
Click here for more information on the series and visit GRNSW's Facebook page for more details.
