Sweet It Is (pictured) may have to do it tough but trainer Darren McDonald is still confident of a strong display in Saturday’s Group 3 Schweppes Summer Cup (720m) heats.
Australia's best stayer makes her Wentworth Park return in the second of two heats of the $25,000-to-the-winner race fresh from yet another Group success just over a week after she triumphed in the Group 1 Bold Trease Carnival Cup (715m) at Sandown Park.
McDonald said box one was not the ideal draw for Sweet It Is but he still likes her chances.
“The inside box is the only concern,” he said. “She likes it out wider.
“Apart from that, I have no worries with her. She likes the track and it’s a smaller field which won’t hurt her.
“She pulled up well from Saturday and is looking in super condition.”
McDonald is travelling up to Wentworth Park on Saturday morning with Sweet It Is, whose opposition will include handy NSW stayer Dusty Moonshine.
Sweet it Is will likely start at prohibitive odds after last Friday’s breathtaking victory, which saw her come from a seemingly impossible position halfway round to see off a top-class field.
The success made it four Group 1 victories in a year for the stayer, with the Group 3 Bohemia Crystal Sydney Cup also thrown in for good measure.
McDonald described the stayer as a “freak” after that race and is still on cloud nine now.
“It was incredible – just incredible,” he said.
“Space Star is no slouch, but to give her that start and win by more than five lengths was outstanding.
“To do what she’s done is an unbelievable achievement.”
That victory took the record of Sweet It Is to 15 wins from 46 starts and there should be a few more yet.
“I hope she’s got plenty of racing left yet,” McDonald said.
“My greyhounds are all different individuals and I cannot rate them as to who is the best. Obviously, she’s an excellent greyhound and I love working with her.”
Sweet It Is could race a rematch with Zipping Maggie, who defeated Sweet It Is in both the heat and final of the Chairman’s Cup at Wentworth Park earlier this year, in the final.
Zipping Maggie goes in the first heat on Saturday and looks tough to bet against.
For Wentworth Park Saturday fields and form, click here.
