Melbourne Cup winner Ando’s Mac (pictured) and recent Peter Mosman Classic winner Mister Twister headline Saturday night’s NSW Sprint Championship heats at Wentworth Park.
Ando’s Mac jumps from box five in the first of three heats (race five, 520m) looking a strong chance to earn a spot in next Saturday’s final.
The Anthony Azzopardi-trained greyhound who also won last year’s Group 1 Vic Peters Classic and Group 2 Warragul Cup earlier in 2017, comes into the race having finished sixth in last Saturday night’s Group 2 Shepparton Cup. He has scored eight career wins at Wentworth Park with a best time of 29.65 at the Glebe track set in October last year.
Ando’s Mac qualifies for the NSW heats on eligibility grounds, having been based at Jason Mackay’s NSW greyhounds for the majority of the past couple of months.
Ando’s Mac’s former kennelmate Mister Twister also looks a strong chance for the series in the third heat (race seven, 520m).
The Jason Mackay-trained greyhound, who also won this year’s $100,000-to-the-winner Richmond Riches series, has hit top form again in recent weeks, including scoring a smart 29.83 victory on a slow Wentworth Park track last Saturday night.
Others to watch include multiple Group winner Knight Sprite (heat one), this year’s Golden Easter Egg runner-up Lagoon Jazzy (heat one), Ando’s Mac’s kennelmate Nangar Rock (heat two) and in-form Winsome Mission (heat two).
Meanwhile, exciting newcomer Sherbini and this year’s Group 1 National Derby winner Big Daddy Bee go head-to-head in Saturday’s second heat (race four) of the NSW Distance Championships (720m) at Wentworth Park.
Sherbini, who will jump from box four, has won five of her seven starts so far for gun trainer Mark Gatt and has clocked some flying times over the middle distance at Richmond.
Big Daddy Bee, in box five, has stepped up to the staying ranks superbly since winning the Group 1 National Derby earlier this year and looks a big danger.
Starsza Light, a consistent stayer for premier western Sydney trainer Dean Swain over the last 18 months, looks the one to beat in the first heat (race three).
The eventual NSW Sprint and Distance winners will join qualifiers from the other Australian states at the $75,000-to-the-winner Group 1 National Championships.
These take place at Brisbane’s Albion Park on Friday, August 25.
For Wentworth Park Saturday fields and form, click here.
