The box draw for Saturday night's Group 1 National Derby at Wentworth Park has thrown the race wide open, with fastest heat winners Lightning Frank and Nangar Rock drawing poorly in boxes four and five respectively.
Nangar Rock, trained at Cudal by Dennis Barnes, led throughout to win his heat in 29.88 while Lightning Frank, who won the Group 1 Silver Chief Classic earlier this month, led all the way in 29.96.
Nangar Rock surprised trainer Barnes who had been disappointed when the greyhound finished last at Wentworth Park on January 21.
"Because of that run I was not confident tonight but Nangar Rock nailed the start and went terrific," Barnes said.
"I guess it just shows he can be a different dog when he leads."
Lightning Frank's trainer Matt Wright was hoping for an inside draw so was slightly dejected at seeing his greyhound draw box four.
"Lightning Frank needs at least one, sometimes two runs on a track to show his true ability," Wright said.
"That's why I brought him to Sydney for a trial last week and after he clocked 30.01 I expected him to improve tonight and he recorded 29.96.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he went a bit quicker again in the final, as long as he jumps cleanly and gets a clear run."
Lightning Frank is raced by a syndicate of five and his heat win rewarded one of the owners, Brad Miller, who drove for 18 hours from his home in Warrnambool to watch his pride and joy in action.
Third fastest qualifier for the National Derby is the Angela Langton-trained Hit The Highway, who came from third early to win his heat in 29.99.
Hit The Highway, who made full use of box one in his heat win, has drawn box three in the final.
"He lacks early speed but is very strong and rails well so needs to be boxed close to the fence," Langton's partner Jeff Britton said.
Other National Derby heat winners were Black Hole Sun, who won in 30.57 and has drawn box seven in the final, as well as Good Odds Bricky, who will exit box six after coming from last to win his heat in 30.38.
Tracey Hurst, who handled Good Odds Bricky on behalf of husband and trainer Frank admitted that she thought her greyhound had no chance soon after the jump.
"I gave up watching when I noticed our dog in last place at the first turn," Hurst said.
"Even when they crossed the line I didn't think he had won because Good Odds Bricky had the red, white and blue number 10 rug and I believed Cosmical, who had the black and white two rug, had won.
"I even congratulated Cosmical's trainer Craig Chappelow and he turned to me and said, Tracey, your dog won!"
Box draw for the Group 1 National Derby at Wentworth Park this Saturday night is: 1. Big Daddy Bee 2. Duty Free 3. Hit The Highway 4. Lightning Frank 5. Nangar Rock 6. Good Odds Bricky 7. Black Hole Sun 8. Dyna Boomer. Reserves: 9. Nangar Bear 10. Agent Kade.
