Marty and Fiona Hallinan, the most successful NSW breeders and owners at Wentworth Park, will be chasing their second Schweppes Summer Cup win in four years when ZIPPING-maggie">ZIPPING-maggie">ZIPPING">ZIPPING Maggie tackles heat one of the 720m Group 3 Event on Saturday night.
Trained in Victoria by Peter Dapiran, ZIPPING-maggie">ZIPPING">ZIPPING Maggie was bred and is raced by the Hallinans, whose greyhound ZIPPING Lad took out the 2011 Summer Cup final for NSW trainer Jason Mackay.
ZIPPING-maggie">ZIPPING">ZIPPING Maggie stands out in the first Cup heat with her only serious opposition likely to come from Pumped Up Zarr, trained at Yass by Neil Staines.
Pumped Up Zarr has won a remarkable seven of his 13 Wentworth Park 720m starts but faces his stiffest test so far against the high flying ZIPPING-maggie">ZIPPING">ZIPPING Maggie.
While Pumped Up Zarr clocked his personal best Wentworth Park 720m time of 42.07 in an all the way in last week, ZIPPING-maggie">ZIPPING">ZIPPING Maggie has recorded a blistering 41.78 at the track.
Australia’s top stayer Sweet It Is (pictured) will be at prohibitive odds in heat two of the Cup, where her toughest opponent is ZIPPING">ZIPPING Rory, trained by Peter Dapiran’s daughter Bethany and also owned by Marty and Fiona Hallinan.
Sweet It Is looks “OVER the line’’ as she will relish having only five rivals, a situation made-to-order for her last-to-first style of racing.
Victorian-trained greyhounds have won three of the past five Summer Cups, with Dyna Willow setting the race record of 41.92 in 2013.
Pumped Up Zarr’s trainer Neil Staines is tipped to take out the final of the Macro Meats Gourmet Game Maiden with Country Fox.
Although Country Fox’s time in winning his heat last Sunday was bettered by two of his opponents this week, he is boxed to win the final and was unlucky not to go much faster in his heat.
The dog collided heavily when attempting to get around pacemaker Avenging Gun with the bumping duel costing Country Fox at least three lengths.
Country Fox was unperturbed by the collision and pounced on the lead soon after before careering away to win by eight lengths.
In the final Country Fox should get a dream run courtesy of wide runner ZIPPING Eastwood, a highly talented youngster who has drawn poorly in box three.
“I think Country Fox will be improved by the run in the heat,’’ trainer Neil Staines said.
“He had not been out of the starting boxes at Wentworth Park and had only a box to box slip at the track.
“I trained Country Fox’s dam Country Rebel for their owner-breeder Jimmy Johnson, and she was a prolific winner for me.
“This litter is very smart and at Nowra on Monday I won with Country Fox’s brother Country Wal, who is also owned by Jimmy.’’
Box four may not be ideal but for trainer Christine Proctor it is preferable for Kurmond Goddess in Saturday night’s Petsnacks Stakes to the draws her greyhound has endured recently.
“Kurmond Goddess is desperate for the rails and has had box eight at her past four starts, so this is an improvement,’’ Proctor said.
“I couldn’t be happier with her and she is really well in herself, she pulled up nicely after her third at Wenty last week.’’
While Jack Kade (box one) is tipped to make the pace in the Petsnacks, Kurmond Goddess should only need an interference-free run in the middle stages to finish too strongly and win.
For Wentworth Park Saturday fields, form and expert tips, click here.
Best Bet: Country Fox (Race 2)
Best Value: Paddy’s Devil (Race 8)
Quaddie: Race 5 – 2, 1
Race 6 – 6, 8
Race 7 – 6, 3, 4
Race 8 – 7, 1, 8
$20 for 55.55%
