Thirty Talks, the highest priced greyhound ever sold at auction, is the headline act for the Globe Memorial Richmond Riches Puppy Classic heats (535m) at Richmond on Saturday night.
The Tony Brett-trained greyhound will jump from box two in the sixth heat of the series (race 8), which is open to greyhounds sold at the 2014 Richmond Puppy Auction.
Thirty Talks goes into Saturday’s race following a terrific come from behind victory at his first look at the Richmond track last week. In that race Thirty Talks gave dual Wentworth Park winner Lowanna's Son a huge start and still managed to win over the 535m Puppy Classic course.
Brett is confident that Thirty Talks will run a good race on Saturday and will be better suited drawing inside.
“Last week from box seven, I don’t think he had the speed to get round the outside of them which caused him a bit of trouble at the start,” he said.
“I’m hoping from box two he’ll be able to run straight and hold his place around the first turn.
“He’s a learning sort of dog. I think he will improve a lot on last week’s run having seen the track and will put his best foot forward on Saturday.”
Thirty Talks has eight wins from 11 starts and is living up to his lofty price tag of $30,000, which retired orthodontist Len Antonio paid at the 2014 Richmond Puppy Auction to purchase the son of Where’s Pedro.
“He’s a pretty special dog. Give him six more months of experience and come the end of the year, I could easily see him contesting some big finals down in Victoria,” Brett said.
Of the NSW runners in Saturday’s heats, Ritza Lenny looks to be one of the best placed. He will jump from box three in the fourth heat (race 5).
Frank Gatt, who won the 1999 National Derby with Hahn Bale, bought Ritza Lenny at the 2014 Richmond auction for $8500.
Now trained by Gatt's son Mark, Ritza Lenny has won eight of 15 races, clocking brilliant times at Wentworth Park, Sandown and Maitland.
“Ritza Lenny won in a smart 30.66 at Richmond last week and while I had wanted him to lead he missed the jump and found trouble,” Mark Gatt said.
“Vidi Vici....made the pace but Ritza Lenny gave her four or five lengths and ran her down so it was a big run.
“I have been setting Ritza Lenny for this Richmond series so he won't run again before Saturday night's heats.”
Former Sydneysider Steve White, meanwhile will be represented in Saturday's heats by Paua To Avoid (box eight, heat six), Paua To Engage (box one, heat five) and Paua To Rush (box four, heat eight).
Now based in Victoria, White said Paua To Avoid was his leading hope.
“I have been up to Sydney to trial Paua To Avoid and Paua To Engage at Richmond so they know their way around the track,” White said.
“Paua To Avoid won the Vince Curry Memorial at Ipswich in February when trained by Tony Brett so she obviously has a lot of class. But Paua To Engage has similar talent, she has just been a bit behind her sister in terms of maturity.”
Eight heats of the Richmond Riches Puppy Classic series will take place on Saturday night with the semi-finals on May 21 and the final, worth $100,000 to the winner, a week later.
