Two dead-heats, one in a Sydney Cup qualifier, along with Bessy Boo's 30th win highlighted an action-packed Wentworth Park card on Saturday night.
The dead-heats occurred within an hour when the judge could not separate Wild Fire and Dublin Bull in heat two of the Group 3 Cup and then was unable to split Targaryen and Chica Destacada two races later.
Dublin Bull, having his first 720m test, looked all over a winner when he raced away with a six lengths lead approaching the home turn in heat two of the Cup.
But the Jeff Britton-trained Victorian visitor 'paddled'' in the straight and Wild Fire, who had been sixth to leave the starting boxes and third on the back straight, rattled home to catch him on the line.
They stopped the clock at 42.54 while the consistent Ada Mary set the time standard in the previous heat when she led throughout in 42.43.
"She missed the jump when she finished fourth over 600m at Gosford four nights ago," trainer Sharon Grey said. "I was a bit disappointed with her run.
"But in hindsight she was up against Knocka's Return, who is a fantastic dog, and when she jumped well in tonight's race, like she usually does, I knew she would be hard to catch.''
Daniel Gatt, deputising for his trainer brother Mark with Wild Fire, was pleased with their dog's strong finishing effort and is happy with his box two draw in the final.
"Entreaty, who has box one, stays on the rails and should give Wild Fire a good cart from the boxes to the first turn,'' Daniel Gatt said.
"All the pace seems to be among the dogs drawn out wide so we are drawn nicely.''
Box draw for Saturday night's Cup final: 1. Entreaty 2. Wild Fire 3. Mepunga Tiara 4. Wind Whistler 5. Lithgow Panther 6. Laugh With Mary 7. Dublin Bull 8. Ada Mary. Reserves: Cyndie's Magic and Phantom Reign.
Bessy Boo notched his 30th win in 96 starts when he overcame box eight to run down National Futurity winner Zipping Midge in Saturday night's Ladbrokes Monthly Medal Stakes.
The win took Bessy Boo's earnings to just on $260,000 and was his 17th win in 60 Wentworth Park appearances, mostly in top-quality company..
"Box eight is the worst possible box for Bessy Boo but he somehow found his way to the rails to be second on the back straight," trainer Christine Proctor said.
"I can't get over how determined this dog is to get to the winning post in front yet he is nearly always at good odds.''
Fawn Express, who cost his hobby trainer Mark Humphries less than $900 as a puppy, upset hotpots Nangar Flame and Privacy to score his first Wentworth Park win in a fifth grade 520m on Saturday night.
"In 2013 I bought three dogs from a litter by Tuiaki from Pineapple City for a total of $2500 when they were six weeks old," Humphries said. "One of them was Fawn Express and when he jumped in front tonight I didn't think they would catch him."
"Unfortunately Fawn Express only begins fast like that in about one in four starts.
"Actually I was a bit worried going into tonight's race because I missed the nomination closing date for last Wednesday night's meeting and feared that if he didn't lead he might be short of a run.''
See you next week!
