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Suitable draws will ensure fastest qualifiers Knight Sprite and Cardiology are warm favourites for Saturday night's state finals of the National Sprint and Distance Championships at Wentworth Park.
Knight Sprite, who won his heat in 29.89, has box two in the 520m Sprint while Cardiology, who covered the 720m in 42.11sec, has box one in the Distance title.
Knight Sprite posted brilliant splits of 5.41sec, 13.73sec and 17.89sec in his hollow eight lengths win over Benteke while rank outsider Compare won the other Sprint heat, leading throughout in 30.25.
Cardiology trailed Runway Bono in the early stages before grabbing the lead leaving the back straight to win by nine lengths.
The other 720m heat went to Whittaker, who also came from second early before hitting the front with a lap to go and scoring in 42.33.
After Knight Sprite's win trainer Gayle Masterson said: "He had missed the jump last week by sitting down in the boxes so last Wednesday I took him to my local straight track for a refresher course.
"I placed Knight Sprite in the starting boxes while the drag lure was brought 300m up to the starting point and by watching that happen and then jumping onto the same lure it put him on his toes again.''
Compare's all-the-way win was among the biggest boilovers in National Championship history and trainer Christine Proctor later disclosed she had overruled husband Alan to nominate the greyhound.
"Alan didn't think Compare was up to it and when I phoned the greyhound's owner Lorraine Atchison she left the decision up to me,'' Christine Proctor said. "Because Compare had won at Dapto 29.97sec I was inclined to enter her for the Championship heats, hoping she would draw box one.
"When she came up with box seven I gave her no hope but she jumped in front and that was the end of the section.''
Compare's kennelmate Bessy Boo (pictured) will make history by contesting his third successive National Sprint Championship if he can win next Saturday's NSW final.
Bessy Boo scraped into the state run-off by finishing fourth in Compare's heat last Saturday night.
Cardiology led throughout to win 42.50 at Wentworth Park on July 23 but had to come from behind to win in 42.11sec on Saturday.
"When she was chasing the tearaway leader Runway Bono I was concerned Cardiology might burn herself out trying to reach her,'' trainer Kayla-Jane COLEMAN said. "For her to zip past and then come away to win so easily was very pleasing.''
Whittaker took his earnings to over $100,000 with his Distance Championship heat win and trainer Julie Fletcher is happy with her dog's box two draw.
"Whispering Soul has box three and her trainer Dean Swain told me she would give Whittaker plenty of room to move,'' Fletcher said. "But obviously Cardiology is going to be hard to beat.''
Box draw for the Sprint final is 1 Benteke 2 Knight Sprite 3 Bessy Boo 4 Compare 5 Brad Hill Billy 6 Barking Bad 7 Ritza Jenny 8 Dandy Jack with reserves One Samuel and Magic Spring.
Distance final draw is 1 Cardiology 2 Whittaker 3 Whispering Soul 4 More In Store 5 Cawbourne Bright 6 Runway Bono 7 Celestial Folk 8 Lovelace with reserves Miss Foxy Lee and Madliena Girl.
