Big Daddy Bee, Ebby Ripper, Starzsa Light and Midnight Treat are among the best stayers in NSW at the moment and will go head-to-head at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
In what is shaping up a virtual dress rehearsal for next month's NSW Distance Championship, the quartet will all contest the wentworthpark.com.au Stakes (race three, 720m).
On times there is little between the big quartet, with Starzsa Light's 42.06 the fastest Wentworth Park 720m time, ahead of Ebby Ripper (42.16), Big Daddy Bee (42.27) and Midnight Treat (42.41).
Midnight Treat has not won over this track and distance but scored over 725m at Melbourne's The Meadows last Saturday, where her more vaunted kennelmate Big Daddy Bee weakened to finish fourth in a different race.
“Big Daddy Bee got a bit tired at The Meadows but he is well boxed in one on Saturday and he has a bit more class than Midnight Treat,'' their trainer Ray Smith said.|
“But Midnight Treat, who won a mix-up race last week, can trial very fast times on her night.”
Forbes-based trainer Smith also has strong claims with Dandy Jack, who has box four in heat five of the Ladbrokes Money Wire Series (race seven, 520m).
“Dandy Jack has a good chance if he can nail the start,” Smith said.
Smoking Road is yet to win in three Wentworth Park starts but trainer Mark Gatt has a huge opinion of the greyhound, who has box five in heat one of the 520m Ladbrokes Money Wire (race one, 520m).
“He is the fastest greyhound I have broken in yet can't seem to win a race in town,” Gatt said.
“Smoking Road was desperately unlucky when second and when unplaced in June but he brought about his own defeat by running into the pacemaker when looking all over a winner last Saturday.
“Smoking Road can record unbelievably fast times in hand-slips at Wenty and has so much natural ability but he needs to learn what racing is all about.”
Leading trainer Dean Swain has no hesitation in ranking Watch The Wasp">Wasp as the best chance of his five starters on Saturday night.
Watch The Wasp, who has won his past three starts in fast times, has box two in heat four of the Ladbrokes Money Wire (race six, 520m).
“Box two is great because Watch The Wasp is such a good railer,'' Swain said.
“Since he won at Maitland on June 29 I have kept him nice and fresh. He doesn't need a lot of work because he is naturally strong at the finish of 520m so I have only given him a couple of slips to keep him in trim for Saturday night.”
Swain's other starters on Saturday night are Starzsa Light along with Nadal">Nadal (race four), Techno">Techno (race five) and Cold Gambler (race 10).
“Nadal could be short of a hard run and while Techno can handle an outside draw he is a fourth grader in a red hot field so he might be out of his depth,” Swain said.
Saturday night's best bet should be Kong">Kong, who is well drawn in box two in the 4th grade @WPgrey on Twitter Stakes (race nine, 520m).
For Wentworth Park Saturday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson’s selections
Best Bet: Kong (Race 9)
Best Value: Smoking Road (Race 1)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 6, 3, 4
Race 6 - 2, 6, 3
Race 7 - 4, 7, 2
Race 8 - 5, 4
$20 for 37.03%
