Goldengrove Lad has “pinged the lids’’ at his past four starts but trainer Syd Swain is not convinced the dog is a consistently brilliant beginner on the eve of Friday night’s third semi-final of the Group 3 New Sensation at Wentworth Park.
But if Goldengrove Lad steps cleanly he has sufficient early zip to “steal’’ Friday night’s race despite drawing box four.
The only real speed in the race comes from No Jockey Needed, who has drawn outside Swain’s dog in box five.
Goldengrove Lad won three successive races at Dapto and Wentworth Park before being pipped on the past by Sweet Release in last week’s New Sensation heats.
“If Goldengrove Lad begins like he has been he should get across to the rails because there is not much pace inside him,’’ Swain said.
“His problem is he gets to the back of the starting boxes when I put him in and then he comes forward as they open.
“But if the lids don’t lift when he comes forward he goes to the back of the boxes again.
“A couple of times he has missed the start badly through mistiming it and being at the back when the boxes open.’’
Topper Road (pictured), another front-runner, is drawn to win the second New Sensation semi-final after coming up with box one for only the second time in his 22 race starts.
The greyhound won his only race from box one and has the luxury of having wide runner Evidence in box two on Friday.
The first semi is wide open but Country Fox, another greyhound with an abundance of early speed, will be good value from his suitable box two draw.
Best duel of the night comes in the third semi-final of the Ladbrokes Magic Maiden where impressive heat winners Down Every Road (box six) and Privacy in box eight clash.
Down Every Road led throughout to win his heat last Sunday night in 29.97, recording splits of 5.47, 13.90 and 18.04.
Privacy was fourth away but showed great dash from box six to lead at the first turn, recording second and third sectionals of 14.04 and 18.20.
The draw and heat times favour Down Every Road but Privacy could be the improver.
“He has been an unlucky dog because after he won a performance trial in 25.77 at Goulburn on November 11 he went through an open catching pen gate and finished up running about 900 metres,’’ trainer Garry Williams said.
“When I got him right again I set him for the Magic Maiden and he broke 30 seconds in his first trial at Wentworth Park.
“But then he came down with kennel cough and I told his owner Mark Scholes the dog looked like having to be scratched from Sunday’s heats.
“Fortunately Privacy stopped coughing on Thursday, just 72 hours before he was due to race.’’
Prince Omar was a distant second to Zipping Meg in his heat but could turn the tables in the fourth Ladbrokes Magic Maiden semi.
Mark Gatt's sprinter missed the start from box four and appeared to hit the running rail going into the first turn before being beaten seven lengths in 30.03.
As Prince Omar had trialled 29.86 at Wentworth Park on March 16 he is capable of sharp improvement with a clean getaway.
Fastest heat winners Kihael Kaluna and Black Bear Lee select themselves in the first and second Magic Maiden semi-finals.
For Wentworth Park Friday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth Park Friday picks:
Best Bet: Ballistic Tip (Race 1)
Best Value: Goldengrove Lad (Race 8)
Quaddie: Race 5 – 4, 8, 1, 5
Race 6 – 2, 4
Race 7 – 1, 8
Race 8 – 4, 1, 2
$20 for 41.66%
