His three charges may be driving him quackers with their tardy starts but Casino trainer Mark Wilkes is hoping one of them will soon give him 40,000 reasons to smile.
Wilkes has brothers War Picture, Heeza Picture and In The Picture jumping in the semi-finals of this Saturday’s Group 2 $40,000-to-the-winner Ipswich Auction Series (520m).
War Picture goes in the fourth and final semi-final looks the best of his three hopes after his strong 30.63 heat win last week, while Heeza Picture and In The Picture look strong contenders in the first and second semis after decent heat runs.
All three are powerful finishers but have been leaving Wilkes holding his breath at the start of races.
“They seem to be very slow out of the boxes,” Wilkes, who works out of Casino in the NSW Northern Rivers region, said with a grin. “They waddle out of them like Donald Duck.
“I think it’s just the breeding.
“War Picture and In The Picture’s finishing times are as good as anything in the series (as well) and that is where their strengths are.
“If I could get one in the final that would be great - two would be a bonus.”
War Picture looks a decent roughie for the series after his win last week, which took his career record to six wins and six minor placings from 19 starts.
Click here to watch a replay of War Picture's heat win.
He is better drawn outside and Wilkes believes box seven may assist his greyhound’s chances here.
“It will just depend on those first 50 metres and how powerfully he starts," he said.
“In The Picture has been improving every time he goes around and he knows how to negotiate the field better than Picture">War Picture.
“Picture">Heeza Picture is not quite as good as the other two. He panics during races and tries to go round the field, but he still has ability.
“You just try and prepare each one as best you can. Once they go in the boxes, it’s up to them.”
Tony Brett’s classy Whata Nice Size jumps in the first semi-final (race five) and looks the one to beat.
Unbeaten Torque Flight also goes in the same heat and seems a hot prospect.
With A Gee and Chevalier Nuit have both run well here previously and also look temping.
The final takes place next Saturday.
For Ipswich Saturday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
