Slick Simzy The Pick For Four-midable Clayton

By Jeff Collerson

Sutton Forest trainer Michael Clayton has qualified with half of the field in the $20,000-to-the-winner final of the Ladbrokes GBOTA Sprint Challenge (race three, 520m).

The top eight pointscorers after an exhaustive round of qualifying races on the country circuit will contest the Sprint and Distance Challenge finals on Saturday night.

In the sprint final, Clayton will be represented by Master Tron (box two), Slick Simzy (three), Magic Lobo (four) and Lustrous (five).

Slick Simzy is unbeaten in two Wentworth Park starts and Clayton thinks he is the best of his chances.

"Slick Simzy... has drawn nicely in box three,'' Clayton said.

"From what I have seen of him Full Of Wind, who has box one, does not have a lot of early speed and my greyhound Master Tron is slow early.

"Magic Lobo will come out of box four and go straight and then he will get up the track at the first turn, so Slick Simzy has a good chance of being the first greyhound in the race to find the fence.

"I trialled him at Wentworth Park after the final race on June 8 and he clocked 30.20 on a night when the fastest race time had been 29.95.''

The distance final (race one, 720m), meanwhile, features grand old stager Knocka's Return,  who has won 41 of 102 starts.

His owner-trainer-breeder Mark Wilcox concedes his greyhound is an unknown quantity over the 720m.

"His box eight draw is okay and he runs a strong 620m but how he will handle the extra 100m remains to be seen,” Wilcox said.

"In shorter races Knocka's Return usually comes from behind but he will need to be up near the lead early if he is to win this.

"I gave him a 650m hand-slip after the last race at Wentworth Park last Saturday and put him up the straight at Appin on Wednesday so he is fit enough.''

Saturday night's best bet at Wentworth Park looks to be Vintage Rox, who has box one in the 4th grade Ladbrokes Odds Boost Stakes (race nine, 520m).

Vintage Rox lost all chance when skittled going through the catching pen in a Peter Mosman Classic heat last week but had won two of his previous three Wentworth Park outings in brilliant times of 29.78 and 29.81.

For a preview of Saturday's four semi-finals of the Peter Mosman Classic at Wentworth Park, click here.

For Wentworth Park Saturday fields, form and expert picks, click here.