It has been two decades Since Nick Minutillo last visited Wentworth Park but he thinks flying Nero Bolt could earn him another ‘dream’ trip east with victory in Saturday’s WA Sprint Championships (490m, race six) at Mandurah.
The in-form greyhound goes for a sixth consecutive victory jumping from box two in what looks a terrific decider.
This looks a great contest between Nero Bolt and Fun Boss (box three), who has returned to top form recently and jumps from box three here, for a place at the Nationals in Sydney on August 22.
Nero Bolt’s trainer Minutillo, who will earn a first-ever trip to Wentworth Park as a trainer if he scores a win here, said his greyhound’s strong engine could be crucial.
“Fun Boss is a quick beginner,” Minutillo said. ‘If he gets away, it will be hard to reel him in.
“There can be a interference at Mandurah on the first corner. If there is no room to move then the inside dogs can get squeezed up.
“(But) if mine can sit a couple of lengths behind them coming to the final corner, he has a good chance.”
Nero Bolt’s heat victory – his fifth consecutive triumph - took his record to 16 wins and eight minor placings in 33 starts.
Click here to watch Nero Bolt’s winning run last week.
The son of Lochinvar Marlow and Lochinvar Coco was inconsistent before this campaign but has been going great guns recently, winning his last five.
He ran a terrific 27.36 here last month and looks the best here with this draw..
Fun Boss won the thrilling Group 2 WA Derby earlier this year ahead of gun Victorian Dyna Double One and Nero Bolt and is enjoying a superb year.
Jabba Da Pup (box seven), who pushed Nero Bolt in last week’s heats, looks the next best.
Qualifying would mean a second-ever trip to Wentworth Park Minutillo, a trainer for some 15 years.
He last headed east as owner of Wits End, a classy WA middle distance performer who contested the 1996 Chairman’s Cup.
"Just to make it to the final would be a dream," Minutillo said.
“There’s greyhounds in Victoria and NSW who are a class above Nero Bolt, but he’s a really tenacious chaser,” Minutillo said.
“You want to be involved in the big races. To come over for a National title would be an amazing experience.
The WA National Distance title (647m, race eight) looks a very even affair, with all eight finalists having chances.
Deadly Boy (box one) is in flying form at the moment and if he repeats his 36.77 run two starts back, he will be mighty hard to beat.
In other action at Mandurah, Jamiaca The Fun and Astrophysic both look perfectly drawn with the red rug to win races three and four respectively.
For Mandurah Saturday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
WA Sprint Final Box Draw (Sportsbet Fixed Odds prices in brackets): 1. You Say Goodbye ($15); 2. Nero Bolt ($4); 3. Fun Boss ($2.70); 4. All Strung Out ($11); 5. Jimmy Margets ($4.50); 6. Thunder Rama ($12); 7. Jabba Da Pup ($4.50); 8. Ruble Monelli ($21). 1RL: Starboost ($15), 2R: Ronray Dreamer ($21).
WA Distance Final Box Draw: 1. Deadly Boy ($2.25); 2. Party Hunter ($2.05); 3. Houdini Monelli ($11); 4. Allen Eryk ($19); 5. West On Dossy ($21); 6. Sitar Monelli ($8); 7. Farchoong ($26); 8. Conconut Grove ($26). 1R: Bionic Bolt ($34); 2R: Pandora's Sin ($26).
Prices correct at time of writing.
