Fastest qualifier Falcon's Fury is the one to beat in this afternoon's Ladbrokes Bathurst Gold Cup, with Cowra trainer Paul Braddon expecting the country circuit's top greyhound to make full use of box one.
Although Falcon's Fury has a reputation of being a wide runner and better suited drawn in boxes seven or eight, Braddon is happy with box one for the $12,000-to-the-winner decider.
"You can't go past the rails draw in big races, after all box one has won the past three Group 1 finals at Wentworth Park," Braddon said.
"Falcon's Fury will run straight from the boxes to the first turn and will only move wide if any of his rivals come down on him near the bend."
Falcon's Fury, who has won three of his five starts at Bathurst, led throughout to win his cup heat last Monday in a quick 29.56 and is likely to start favourite for tomorrow's feature race.
He will not have it all in his own way in the cup, however, and his biggest danger to winning could come in the shape of Dandy Jack (box six), who set the second fastest heat time of 29.86 last week.
Dandy Jack boasts the remarkable Bathurst tally of six wins and five placings from 12 races and trainer Ray Smith is pleased with the draw.
"He jumped well to win his heat and has to begin smartly again to win the final, but if he does, he will take some beating," Smith said. "There could be some jostling among the dogs drawn on the inside and Dandy Jack is positioned to avoid trouble by being boxed wide."
Third fastest heat winner Utah Miss is a keen railer, but while she appears awkwardly drawn in box eight, trainer Joe Satti is quietly confident.
"Bathurst is the only track where Utah Miss goes hard left when she leaves the starting boxes, but with all the early pace near the rails, I believe she could get the fly down the outside," Satti said.
"Utah Miss clocked 29.87 in her heat despite being hampered in crossing to the rails from box six. She can go faster with a clear run and is raring to go, I've kept her fresh since the heats."
Satti, who quit his job as a boilermaker two years ago to have more time to train his team of four greyhounds, plans to tackle next month's Group 3 Richmond Derby with Utah Miss.
She's Grand (box three) was beaten narrowly by Better Call Sloy in her heat, but trainer Rodney O'Brien tips his greyhound to lead throughout in the final.
"She's Grand clocked a smart initial split of 4.24 in her heat but can go quicker, she has previously recorded a flying 4.19 to the first mark at Bathurst," O'Brien said.
"Early pace wins big races and from box three She's Grand should be the pacemaker. I did not want box one because she is best suited when drawn a bit away from the fence."
Better Call Sloy was making his Bathurst 520m debut when he overhauled She's Grand in his heat, but owner Gordon Sciberras says his dog has drawn poorly in box five in the final.
"He had only been out of the 450m starting boxes at Bathurst and ran very wide on the first turn in his heat, so the experience should do him good," Sciberras said.
"But while trainer Darren Sultana has Better Call Sloy going really well, box five is awful."
Lehigh Model (box two), Uno Arjo (box four) and Spring Bloom in box seven complete the field.
The Bathurst Gold Cup is race eight on the card at Bathurst today and headlines a terrific day's racing at the NSW Central West track.
For Bathurst Monday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
