Wicked Warrior, Benteke">Benteke and Ando">Ando's Mac">Mac are tipped to battle out one of the most open Group 1 finals on record when they meet in Saturday night's Ladbrokes Vic Peters Classic (520m) at Wentworth Park.
The draw favours Benteke, who has box one and is undefeated in four starts wearing the red rug.
Wicked Warrior's ability to begin brilliantly could give him the edge from box three, but the form dog is Ando's Mac (pictured), whose trainer Jason Mackay is confident can overcome box six.
Ando's Mac posted fastest heat and semi-final times of 29.72 and 29.65 respectively, and Mackay expects his greyhound to run up to those figures.
"While he is a good railer who is unbeaten in four starts from box one, Ando's Mac handled box eight perfectly in his semi-final win,'' Mackay said.
"His kennelmate Mister Twister has box five, and he will go left at the start while Reviewer">Reviewer, who has box seven, stays up the track.
"I think Ando's Mac's draw is okay.''
Benteke, owned in NSW but now trained in Victoria by Brett Bravo, had no luck when second in Mister Twister's 29.94 semi-final.
"Box one is great and I thought Benteke's effort to get up and finish second in his semi-final last week was courageous,'' Bravo said.
"He had box two and Arena Magic, in box one, stepped to the right when the jumped and crowded my dog.
"Then. when Benteke was making his run on the back straight, Arena Magic moved out on him again and held him up.''
Jason Mackay won semi-finals with Ando's Mac and Mister Twister while fellow trainer Jason Magri has qualified for Saturday's final with Clock's Ticking and Wicked Warrior.
Clock's Ticking missed the start but secured a rails run at the first turn before winning his semi-final in 30.11 while Wicked Warrior chased him home in the same event.
"Wicked Warrior is slightly quicker than Clock's Ticking but they are both in top form and each pulled up well after their semis,'' Magri said.
"Wicked Warrior has the better draw as he has box three and Chaser">Chaser, in box two, is a tight railer who should give my dog room to move.''
Best outsider is Chaser, who lacks the early pace of his more favoured rivals but who is well drawn in box two and is strong at the finish of 520m.
"Obvously Chaser can't lead but if there is a hold-up among the pacemakers he is a chance,'' trainer Mark Gatt said.
"Chaser has never been in better form and has a great draw.
"While he tends to 'crash' left at box rise when he draws wide, I don't think he will do that from box two so he should not interfere with Benteke, in box one.''
Most consistently fast beginner in the final is the Garry Williams-trained Reviewer">Reviewer, who led throughout in his heat and semi-final.
"Although Reviewer had boxes three and two in those races I am happier seeing him in box seven in the final because he uses a bit of the track,'' Williams said.
"I had been hoping for box eight but seven is next best and while Reviewer can't run the overall times of a couple of his opponents he is a consistently fast starter which is a big asset in finals.''
Best bet on Saturday night is the John Little-trained Black Hole Sun, well positioned in box eight in race nine.
Black Hole Sun finished third to Ando's Mac and Chaser in a Vic Peters Classic semi last week so will relish the drop to fifth grade on Saturday night.
Shez Sublime, who was badly checked when disputing the lead and in a winning position at the first turn in her Classic semi, is ideally boxed in one in race three.
Trainer Frank Hurst reports that Shez Sublime took no harm from the early bump she received last week and is raring to go.
For Wentworth Park Saturday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth Park Saturday picks:
Best Bet: Black Hole Sun (Race 9)
Best Value: Shez Sublime (Race 3)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 8, 4, 1
Race 6 - 3, 1, 2
Race 7 - 4, 1
Race 8 - 3, 1, 6
$20 for 37.03%
