Promising newcomer ZIPPING Hondo can claim a success for trainer Darryl Prestwidge while the gun Dean Swain kennel looks primed for a bumper night at tonight’s Richmond meeting.
ZIPPING Hondo jumps from box one in the Ladbrokes Maiden Series Final (race one, 535m) and looks ideally drawn to claim a second win in his first three starts.
The Darryl Prestwidge-trained greyhound finished second on debut over the 472m at Bulli on September 17 before saluting in a smart 31.29 in last week’s heats at Richmond.
ZIPPING Hondo faces some tough opposition including Starsza Smiling (box seven) and Mindy’s A Marble (box two) but was an impressive winner last week, jumping fairly from box two and powering home by one-and-three-quarter lengths.
Prestwidge also has litter sister ZIPPING Carly, who placed on debut at Richmond last week, engaged in the final from box five in the same race.
“ZIPPING Hondo was 39 kilograms but we have him down to 37 now, which is his best racing weight,” Prestwidge said.
“Because he is such a big dog he can be slow out of the boxes, but once he gets going he has a motor.
“ZIPPING Carly cramped up last week and that’s why she went wide on the first corner. Otherwise I think she could been second.
“From this draw I have to go with ZIPPING Hondo.”
Prestwidge also has the pair’s litter sister, ZIPPING Tatum, jumping from box seven in the Giavisor Australia Stakes (race nine, 535m).
She has won two of her six starts so far and was a finalist in the recent Group 3 Dapto Maiden Classic, but Prestwidge is cautious about her chances tonight.
“If it had been an earlier race, I would have been confident, but not tonight,” he said.
“She has ability but her problem is she runs her race before it starts. She barks in the kennels and gets a little over-excited.
“I can’t tip her with over-confidence (so) I have to go with ZIPPING Hondo as my best chance tonight.”
Western Sydney trainer Swain, meanwhile, will be looking to continue his recent purple patch of success with two winning hopes at tonight’s Richmond meeting.
Starzsa Light (box four) has won her last two starts, including an impressive 31.05 victory at Richmond last week, and looks the top pick in the Direct Electrical Stakes (race five, 535m).
Kennelmate Shiny Bright (box four) was a runner-up at Dapto last week but looks capable of going one better in the Thanks Ray Hadley Stakes (race 11, 535m).
Shiny Bright was a smart 29.99 winner at Dapto on debut a week earlier and has also recorded decent performance trials at Gosford, so looks to be the best in this company.
For Richmond Friday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
