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Casino track record holder Echo Gal looks a strong chance to salute at Tuesday’s Ladbrokes Park Lismore meeting.
The in-form stayer jumps from box five in a heat of the $20,000-to-the-winner Metroll GBOTA Distance Challenge (722m) aiming for a fourth win in her last eight starts.
Echo Gal’s strong form includes a record-breaking 35.72 effort over the 620m at Casino two starts back, taking .24 off Black Audit’s previous mark set at the same meeting.
She disappointed on her last start, finishing eighth at Casino, and faces a strong field including Nureyev (box eight) in this race but trainer Graeme Bowles (pictured, courtesy Tarrah Vanderstok) has tipped his greyhound to win.
“This is her first start over this distance but she’s very strong and I think she’ll handle it,” he said.
“I’m not sure what happened at Casino (last start). She’s never run like that before and she usually puts in a smart race.
“The box draw doesn’t matter much here as her recent first sectionals have been very impressive. I think she can do anything as she’s got a lot of ability and already shown what she can do.
“If he jumps clearly I think she can win this.”
Echo Gal’s recent good run has taken her record to nine wins and seven minor placings from 36 starts.
Nureyev has placed at Albion Park and Wentworth Park in recent weeks and is handy from out wide, scoring three wins and three minor placings with the pink rug.
In other Tuesday Ladbrokes Park Lismore action, Cosmic Backstep and Slick Simzy look the top picks in the two heats of the Ladbrokes GBOTA Challenge (520m, races six and seven).
Cosmic Backstep (box five) has not won in her last five starts but has won two of her previous four starts and ran solidly in tough company at Lismore last start.
He has won twice and placed once in five previous starts from box five and if he’s on top form can beat these.
Slick Simzy (box four), one of the stars of the gun NSW Southern Highlands kennel of Michael Clayton, has won six times and placed four times in his last 10 starts.
He showed his class with two recent Wentworth Park victories and has won both her previous starts from box two.
Zapata (box one) is another greyhound in strong form and can win race 10 over the 420m.
The Frank Hancock-trained newcomer has scored four wins and four minor placings from 10 starts and placed from this box over the 395m at Albion Park last start.
For Ladbrokes Park Lismore fields, form and expert picks, click here.
