Two slick trials in the past eight days have Fire Elusive poised to notch his sixth Wentworth Park win on Saturday night.
Fire Elusive, who has a fine record from outside draws, has box seven in the Rapidvite Sprint (520m).
The dog has not raced since chasing home a flying Double Trigger in a third and fourth grade Wentworth Park race on November 1 and drops to fourth and fifth class on Saturday night.
“There has not been anything amiss with the dog but he had won at Wentworth Park on October 25 and I didn’t want to take him to the same track three weeks in a row,’’ trainer Mark Moroney said.
“On Thursday November 6 I gave him a hit-out on my local straight trial track at Redhead and he almost broke the track record.
“Then on Monday I took Fire Elusive to Maitland for a 400m trial but when I got there I discovered they had turned the track over on the weekend.
“When we arrived I was told the fastest trial time on Monday had been 22.96 so I was rapt when I put Fire Elusive around and he clocked 22.60.
“I’ve had him checked over since by my regular muscleman Johnny Munro and he has declared the dog raring to go.’’
Zipping Layla is a keen fencer but connections are hoping their bitch makes full use of box one in Saturday night’s Petsnacks Sprint at Wentworth Park.
Mark Jordan, whose wife Leanne trains Zipping Layla, said he was hoping for a good show from the greyhound.
“She has won one from her four starts from box one but she hasn’t ever really used the draw to her advantage," he said.
“Zipping Layla has a limited motor but she gives 110 per cent every time she races so one can’t ask for more than that.
“And she does look like she will get a nice cart up along the rails in the run to the first turn.
“I just hope Take It All isn’t sitting behind our bitch on the back straight because he is well graded and has a lot of strength at the finish.’’
Crowie’s Chance, who uses a bit of the track and has box two, could “make’’ Saturday night’s race for Zipping Layla.
Crowie’s Chance is one of three strong chances coming to Sydney on Saturday from the Lorraine Roy kennels at Wallandbeen, near Cootamundra.
“I think Zarita has a good chance from box eight in the Macro Meats Gourmet Game Sprint,’’ Lorraine’s husband Jack said yesterday.
“She will handle box eight okay, she can begin smartly on occasions, and she is strong at the finish and racing well.
“I thought Recruitment, in box one, looked Zarita’s main rival.’’
Zarita’s kennelmate Pearl Irene has box four in the Ground Dog Day Classic Sprint and arrives at Wentworth Park in the best form of her career.
“Pearl Irene can handle any box because she usually begins cleanly and runs straight to the first turn,’’ Jack Roy said.
“Her last start win over 450m at Bathurst was her best performance in a long while.
“While Pearl Irene has box four I think Von Ryan, in box five, will be hardest to beat because he showed good dash when second at his past three Wentworth Park starts.’’
Pierro Kade speared off the track at the first turn before winning his heat so can improve sharply on his winning time of 30.38 in Saturday night’s Betfair Blue Paws Final.
The JODIE Lord-trained dog had box one in his heat but collided as he veered wide at the first turn and lost considerable ground.
With a clean getaway from his wide box six draw on Saturday night, Pierro Kade appeals as one of the night’s good value wagers.
For Wentworth Parl Saturday fields, form and expert tips, click here.
Best Bet: Pearl Irene (Race 3)
Best Value: Zipping Layla (Race 2)
Quaddie: Race 5 – 7, 3, 1
Race 6 – 3, 2, 1
Race 7 – 7, 4, 2
Race 8 – 6, 7
$20 for 37.03%
