Sweet It Is is likely to start a warm favourite for the Group 3 Bohemia Crystal Sydney Cup at Wentworth Park on Saturday night following the likelihood that Ruff Cut Diamond will be scratched from the race.
Ruff Cut Diamond is struggling to recover in time After bruising a hock in her Heat win last week.
“I have been working on her hock injury all week but my veterinary surgeon in Melbourne advised me it would be too risky to start her in the Cup," trainer Mick Fearnley said yesterday.
Ruff Cut Diamond and Sweet It Is were vying for favouritism for the Sydney Cup throughout this week, despite the latter's mixed form of late.
Sweet It Is (pictured) has not won since August when she took out the Group 1 National Distance Championship at Cannington. Since that win, however, she has not been able to overcome her trademark slow starts enough to register a win.
The Darren McDonald-trained stayer will jump from box six in the Sydney Cup and with a clear run will be very hard to hold out.
Despite this, I’m tipping the Dapiran family to quinella the Group 3 event with ZIPPING Maggie and ZIPPING Rory.
Fastest qualifier ZIPPING Rory is trained by 23-year-old Beth Dapiran, who has had a trainer’s licence for just two years.
And her father Peter Dapiran, who trains ZIPPING Maggie, said yesterday that while ZIPPING Rory’s long-priced Heat win was no fluke, his bitch was also in with a great chance.
“ZIPPING Rory is a very good dog on the bunny and in trials is a bit quicker than my finalist ZIPPING Maggie, who finished third in Ruff Cut Diamond’s Heat.
“When I trialled them before they raced at Wentworth Park Beth’s dog led all the way and defeated ZIPPING Maggie over 720 metres.
“Boxes four and five aren’t too good for our pair but they both have strong chances on Saturday night.
“ZIPPING Maggie veered hard left from box seven at the start of her Heat and gave Ruff Cut Diamond a dream run down the outside.
“Then the winner cut her off going through the pen and another dog collided with her coming to the home turn so I thought ZIPPING Maggie’s Heat run was okay."
Check out ZIPPING Maggie's Heat run here.
Another big danger is Space Star, who has earned a run courtesy of My Asuncion's scratching.
Dawn Garrett's exciting Chaser endured a disastrous start in last weel's qualifier but has earned a second chance for the final and should do better from box three this time around.
Check out Space Star's Heat run here.
In other action at Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park on Saturday night, an association stretching back more than two decades between Riverina breeders the Lang family and trainer Ken Staines is also set to continue at Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park on Saturday night with Screen Test tipped to take out the opening event, the Wentworthpark.com.au Stakes (520m).
Screen Test is owned by Steven Lang, whose uncle Garry Lang owned Mystery Idle, Ken Staines’ winner of the group 1 National Futurity in 1994.
“Unfortunately Screen Test is no Mystery Idle but he is a handy dog,’’ Staines said.
“He led all the way over 535m at Richmond on Wednesday and pulled up well After the race.
“But he did have an inside box there and his only hang-up on Saturday at Wenty is that he has box seven.
“He would be better suited from an inside draw.
“At his first look at Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park on September 15 he was all over the place but I was happy with his second run on September 27 when he finished fifth After hitting the running rail at one stage.’’
Lucy Lobster has led clearly but been run down at her past two Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park starts but trainer Charlie Lamb is hoping those races will improve her condition for Saturday night’s AAA Radiator Specialist Stakes.
“She has box six but although she gets wide I would rather see her drawn inside,’’ Lamb said.
“Reason is Lucy Lobster hasn’t got brilliant pace for the first 10 or 20 metres but she musters speed quickly.
“I’m hoping she gets to the line more strongly this week than she has at her past two starts because she is not long back After being sidelined for eight weeks.
“After she won at Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park in July she got hit heavily in the catching pen and tore some back muscles.
“She should be fitter now.’’
For Wentworth Park Saturday fields, form and expert tips, click here.
Best Bet: Anything Less (Race 10)
Best Value: Cawbourne Kayono (Race 2)
Quaddie: Race 5 – 3, 8, 5
Race 6 – 2, 4, 8
Race 7 – 6, 3
Race 8 – 2, 5, 6
$20 for 37.03%
