Brad Hill Billy may have been the slowest winner in the heats of the Bob Payne Spring Sprint but the Ray Smith-trained, Tasmanian-owned greyhound will still start favourite in Saturday night's Group 2 final at Wentworth Park.
Brad Hill Billy, who ran down Black Top and Canberra Cup winner Uno Suzie to win his heat in 29.90, has drawn nicely in box two.
Fastest qualifier is Uno Suzie's kennelmate My Boy Snoop who led throughout in 29.67 while the other heats were taken out by Funky Punk in 29.80 and Paua To Roar in 29.81.
After drawing box two for Brad Hill Billy, trainer Smith was confident of his greyhound's chances next weekend.
"When I drew box two I was hoping to see a fast beginner in one because that way Brad Hill Billy might have got a nice cart along the rails," Smith said.
"I'm not sure what Goldengrove Lad (who has drawn box one) will do but I'm not complaining, box two is okay."
Happiest with the draw are Goldengrove Lad's trainer Sid Swain and Steve White, trainer of Paua To Roar, who drew box eight.
"I wanted box one or eight so the outside looks good for Paua To Roar," White said.
"My dog is not super strong but he has terrific early speed and that is a big asset in major finals.
"Paua To Roar will have to jump smartly like he did in his heat but if he does he is in with a strong chance."
Sid Swain was delighted with Goldengrove Lad's strong finishing second in Paua To Roar's heat and is confident his dog will win the final.
"He had box eight in his heat but this dog is born and bred for box one," Swain said.
"After being trapped wide when fourth down the back straight in his heat he really motored to the line.
"And when he found the rails he got within a couple of lengths of the winner and was well clear when they reached the catching pen."
My Boy Snoop is in the best form of his career and surprised by leading throughout in his heat but trainer Anthony Azzopardi had no luck in the box draw, getting three with that greyhound and four with Uno Suzie.
Funky Punk, who had box one in his all-the-way heat win, also faces a tough task from box six as does the vastly improved Ritza Rossi, in box five.
"Ritza Rossi's second behind My Boy Snoop tonight was the best run of his career because he might have won if he had not checked off the winner's heels in the middle stages," trainer Mark Gatt said after the heats.
"Ritza Rossi just keeps improving with every run, sometimes you have to keep bringing dogs back to Wentworth Park because some of them get better all the time."
Box draw for the Bob Payne Spring Sprint is: 1. Goldengrove Lad 2. Brad Hill Billy 3. My Boy Snoop 4. Uno Suzie 5. Ritza Rossi 6. Funky Punk 7. Lady Livingston 8. Paua To Roar. Reserves: 9. Knight Sprite 10. My Gangsta.
In other action at Wentworth Park, Larry Procopio, whose greyhound Lady Livingston chased home Funky Punk in her heat, won a fifth grade race at Wentworth Park on Saturday night with Passenger, a litter brother to his Bob Payne finalist.
"Passenger is not the fastest in his litter but he is the most honest, a terrific chaser who never stops trying," Procopio said.
Passenger showed his penchant for box one when he ran down Fire Elusive and then held off a late challenge from Seven Jacks because it was his fourth victory in 10 races wearing the red rug.
Owner Les Deguara, meanwhile, was gob-smacked when Smashing Sam, trained by his pal Neil Falk, led throughout in another fifth grade on Saturday night.
"I couldn't believe it when I saw him jump in front and lead all the way, Smashing Sam has never begun like that in any of his previous 67 starts," an excited Deguara declared.
See you next week!
