Jason Magri will unveil his latest acquisition Cosmic Break in Friday night’s third heat of the Group 3 New Sensation at Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park and says the former Victorian has “a big motor.’’
Cosmic Break, who has had 12 starts for four wins and six placings, has won in a slick 25.86 over 460m at Warragul and in a nippy 25.20 for the Ballarat 450m trip.
The greyhound has box two on Friday night on his first visit to Wentworth Park and looks reasonably well positioned as Winsome Jacko (box one) is a notoriously slow starter and Zipping Eastwood, the likely favourite, has box four and is a very wide runner.
“I have only had Cosmic Break for three weeks so don’t know a lot about him,’’ Magri said. “But I do know he has a big motor."
“From what I’ve seen of him I think he will want to move up the track a bit in the run to the first turn.’’
Meanwhile, Richmond Derby runner-up No Donuts, arguably the number one contender for the New Sensation, has drawn box eight in heat four.
“No Donuts has never had box seven or eight but he did win his Richmond Derby heat from box six,’’ trainer Hank Vanderburg said.
“But although I believe he will run straight from the boxes to the first turn, dogs have to work over time to win from box eight at Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park.
“I would have much preferred to see him drawn on the rails.
“Just the same, No Donuts is back racing against his own class.
“He was taking on all comers in the Richmond Derby but sometimes you have to race a good dog out of his grade when a big race comes around.
“No Donuts certainly acquitted himself well in the Derby series and is as fit as a fiddle for Friday night.’’
Although Vanderburg is dubious about box eight for No Donuts, the dog should get a nice run down the outside of the course providing he begins cleanly.
Topper Road (box six, pictured) and Sheba’s Image in seven are front-runners who like to rail and Topper Road especially should give No Donuts a good cart across in the charge to the first corner.
Tuavasa Shek, well boxed out wide in six in the 720m Association Cup Heats Next Week Stakes, appeals as Friday’s best bet at Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park.
The Grafton-trained dog won four Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park 720m races in a row from boxes six, seven and eight before finishing third from a less suitable box three on March 7.
Before that race trainer Darryl Chapman expressed his concern at Tuavasa Shek’s ability to handle an inside draw because the dog relishes a wide alley.
Tuavasa Shek is unbeaten in two starts wearing the green rug.
Friday night’s best value bet is the well boxed Big Bad Brenda, who has drawn two in the Final Night April 4 Stakes.
Big Bad Brenda is a slow beginner but is a tenacious railer with a powerful finish and looks well placed in this quiet fifth grade event.
The Allan Manwaring-trained bitch has been placed in each of three Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park races but has not been in a more suitable race than the one she tackles on Friday.
For Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park Friday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park Friday tips:
Best Bet: Tuavasa Shek (Race 8)
Best Value: Big Bad Brenda (Race 10)
Quaddie: Race 5 – 8, 6, 2
Race 6 – 2, 3, 8
Race 7 – 5, 8, 1
Race 8 – 6, 8
$20 for 37.03%