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Fastest heat winners Mister Twister and Fast Times each face a tough task to win their semi-finals of the Globe Memorial Richmond Riches (535m) on Friday night.
Fast Times, owned by former Sea Eagles and Australian rugby league star Terry Hill, has box two in the second semi-final (race four) after winning his heat in 30.56.
Fast Times’ trainer Tony Brett said he would have preferred his greyhound to have drawn wider, in box seven or eight.
“Fast Times wants to push up the track in the early stages so will need to begin cleanly like he did from box three in his heat,” Brett said.
Meanwhile, Jason Mackay-trained Mister Twister, who began brilliantly from box three to lead all the way in 30.50 in his heat, has drawn awkwardly in box eight in the first semi-final (race two).
Mister Twister faces stern opposition from Fast Times' kennelmate Opal Nera in box three. Brett believes Opal Nera will be a better greyhound this week than he was when an unlucky second behind Bold Opal in a 30.85 heat.
“Opal Nera wasn't at his peak for last week's race because he was just coming back after an injury,” Brett said.
“And because he goes hard left when the boxes open he wasn't suited by his extreme outside draw. Opal Nera is much better off this week in box three.”
The second semi-final of the Richmond Riches is shaping to be a great contest with the Donna Campbell-trained Big Black another winning chance in box one.
“In his heat Big Black was only three quarters of a length behind Fast Times approaching the first turn but was badly hampered trying to reach the rails from box six,” Campbell said.
“Big Black races at 37.5kg but for such big, tall greyhound, he is a terrific railer. When he contested his heat he had not previously been out of the Richmond 535m boxes so I expect him to be improved.”
On heat form the third semi-final (race six) is the weakest and a near perfect box two draw should pave the way for the Jason Magri-trained Bronze Gambler to win.
Bronze Gambler found trouble from box seven when fourth in Mister Twister's heat, but had won each of his two previous races at Dapto from boxes one and two.
Hunter Valley trainer Bev Sloan grew up helping her late father Bob train his greyhounds and when he passed away 10 years ago she took out her own trainer's licence.
Sloan is now one win away from qualifying for the lucrative Richmond Riches final, with her greyhound Bold Opal looking the best chance in the fourth semi-final (race eight) from box seven.
“Bold Opal is the best greyhound I have trained,” Sloan said.
“She can handle an outside box providing she gets away well like she did last week when she led all the way in 30.85. Bold Opal will need to jump smartly though because Nic 's Fab, the greyhound in box eight, goes fast early.”
First and second in the four Richmond Riches semi-finals will qualify for next Friday night's $100,000 to the winner final.
Jeff Collerson’s selections
Best Bet: Bronze Gambler (Race 6)
Best Value: Big Black (Race 2)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 6, 3, 2
Race 6 - 2, 1
Race 7 - 3, 1, 7
Race 8 - 7, 2, 4
$20 for 37.03%
