It's rare for a 280m race to grab the attention of the fans but the return of sensational short courser Blue Thunda is an exciting part of tonight's Wentworth Park card.
The John Miles-trained greyhound has compiled the extraordinary record of 13 wins from 14 starts, all the more remarkable considering that tally has been achieved at distances up to 400m, where interference at box rise plays such an important role.
Blue Thunda made her Wentworth Park debut on February 2, taking the lead approaching the home turn Before careering away to win by five lengths in a slick 16.11.
She had box five in that event and looks ideally positioned in box eight in Friday night’s Book Your Function Online Stakes.
Blue Thunda is unbeaten in two starts from box eight.
Another well boxed greyhound to score on Friday is consistent front runner Encosta Deplente, who has drawn two in a heat of the Ladbrokes Sprint Series.
Encosta Deplente has had a win and two seconds from seven Wentworth Park starts but meets lesser opposition on Friday than he has in recent weeks.
“He was second reserve last Saturday and got a run, which meant he was having his third start in a week,’’ trainer Lorraine Perrin said.
“The winner ran 29.41 so I would have preferred not to have gained a start.
“Because he had a busy week I have kept him on the lead this week to freshen him up for Friday’s race.
“The closer to the rails he is the better he likes it so box two is great.
“He has drawn box two three times and won twice.’’
Kilkee Flex staged a thrilling duel with odds on favourite Zipping Geoff over 720m at Wentworth Park last Saturday and the pair are set to put on a similar show in Friday night’s gapnsw.com.au Stakes.
Last week Kilkee Flex began brilliantly and led everywhere bar the post, with Zipping Geoff getting up in the final bound to win by a nose.
Watch a replay of the race here.
But Kilkee Flex’s trainer Shannon Ellis expects his bitch to improve this week.
“Before last week’s race I trialled her over 720m at Wentworth Park and she went no good,’’ Ellis said.
“But she improved out of sight to finish the closest of seconds last Saturday so I expect her to go a bit better again.
“Kilkee Flex usually gets quicker with a run or two on a track and when she contested last week’s event she was having only her second race beyond 700m.
“I just hope she pings the lids again like she did last week.’’
Friday’s safest bet should be the perfectly drawn Whittaker (pictured), who has box one in a heat of the Ladbrokes Sprint.
Whittaker is undefeated from the rails alley and boasts the marvellously consistent Wentworth Park record of four wins and two seconds from nine starts.
The dog is a litter brother and kennelmate to last week’s impressive Wentworth Park winner Martin Clegg, who also won at Bulli on Wednesday night, but according to connections is three tenths of a second faster.
“You could set your watch by them whenever they have trialled,’’ Bruce Fletcher, whose wife Julie trains the pair, said.
“Whittaker has always been three tenths quicker than his brother.
“There has been nothing amiss with Whittaker since his last start a month ago but we decided to give him a break away from Wentworth Park.’’
For Wentworth Park Friday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth Park Friday picks:
Best Bet: Whittaker (Race 7)
Best Value: Encosta Deplente (Race 8)
Quaddie: Race 5 – 4, 2
Race 6 – 1, 8, 4
Race 7 – 1, 2
Race 8 – 2, 4, 5
$20 for 55.55%
