Trainer Darren McDonald believes the small field in Saturday night's heat one of the Group 3 Bohemia Crystal Sydney Cup (720m) is made to order for his greyhound Sweet It Is.
The star Victorian stayer (pictured, courtesy Greyhound Racing Victoria), who has enjoyed a superb year headlined by victory in the National Distance Championship, will start from the inside box in what looks a tough heat of the $25,000-to-the-winner final.
“She has box one and there does not seem to be a great deal of early pace outside her,’’ McDonald said.
“Because of that and the small field it will be interesting to see if Sweet It Is can ‘possie’ up a bit closer in the early stages than she normally does.
“It would certainly be interesting if Sweet it Is was sitting in second or third spot with a lap to go.’’
While Sweet it Is is ideally positioned, so too are Space Star and Dusty Moonshine, the two main NSW hopes in the two Cup heats.
Space Star uses a bit of the track so is ideally placed in box seven while Dusty Moonshine’s connections have always wanted to see her drawn on the extreme outside.
Space Star is unbeaten in three races wearing the black rug while Dusty Moonshine drew wide in box six when she recorded her personal best Wentworth Park 720m time of 41.86 on September 20.
Adapting to outside boxes as she has matured gives Ruff Cut Diamond a second-to-none chance of toppling avourite Zipping Maggie in ther first heat.
Ruff Cut Diamond, who won in a slick 41.87 at her Wentworth Park debut last Friday night, has box eight while Zipping Maggie, who toppled Xylia Allen in 41.78 in the Group 3 Chairman’s Cup at the Glebe track last month, has drawn seven.
Zipping Maggie raced wide in her all-the-way Chairman’s Cup win so is well boxed but trainer Mick Fearnley is not too concerned about Ruff Cut Diamond’s extreme outside draw.
“Early in her career Ruff Cut Diamond wanted to hug the rails in her races,’’ Fearnley said.
“But as she has matured she has learned to handle outside boxes better.
“She pulled up extremely well after her win at Wenty last week and could not be any better than she is at the moment.
“I think my bitch’s chances depend on what Zipping Maggie does in the early stages.
“So long as Zipping Maggie doesn’t unsettle Ruff Cut Diamond at all I’ll be happy Because Zipping Maggie seems to stay three or four dogs away from the rails.’’
While Zipping Maggie has the better Wentworth Park 720m time, Ruff Cut Diamond has gone quicker than her fellow Victorian over the Sandown 715m track.
Another greyhound suited by a small field is the Darren Sultana-trained Oh So Striking in the Online Pipe & Cable Classic (520m).
Oh So Striking will have only six rivals when he exits box seven and Sultana is pleased to see one less runner than usual.
“Because of the way Oh So Striking races the small field will suit him,’’ Sultana said.
“And he is certainly well boxed out wide so it is up to him now, it depends a lot on what sort of run he gets early.’’
Oh So Striking is a litter brother and kennelmate of Silent Effective, who has won four of eight Wentworth Park starts and has scored in a blistering 29.54sec at the Glebe track.
Oh So Striking’s fastest time at the Glebe track in 29.70 and Sultana confirmed there was around “two or three tenths of a second’’ between his two talented sprinters.
“I have not trialled them against one another but Silent Effective, on times, has two or three tenths on Oh So Striking,’’ the trainer said.
“If he can get on the bunny from box two Hersi might be the one for my dog to beat on Saturday night.’’
Safest bet on Saturday should be the ideally placed Zipping Layla, who has box one in the 520m Nathan Chapman’s Dogs Stakes.
Zipping Layla was checked at the first turn when second, from box six, to Passenger at Wentworth Park on September 19 and overcame box four to run down Eddard Stark in 30.16 last Friday night.
Last week Zipping Layla just led at the first turn but was hampered while trying to reach the rails and displayed great tenacity to get up and win after Eddard Stark had got a break on his rivals in the middle stages.
Zipping Layla should get a dream rails run on Saturday as Capriati, box two, has only moderate early speed and Lucy Lobster (box three) races wide.
Lucy Lobster led easily but galloped in the middle of the track when a tiring third to Supercell at Wentworth Park last Friday night.
ten races are on the card and action starts at 7.27pm.
For Wentworth Park fields, form and expert tips, click here.
Best Bet: Zipping Layla (Race 2)
Best Value: Paddy’s Devil (Race 10)
Quaddie: Race 5 – 5, 6, 8
Race 6 – 1, 7, 8
Race 7 – 8, 7
Race 8 – 1, 6, 2
$20 for 37.03%
