Multiple Group 1 winner Ando's Mac returns to NSW on Saturday night to compete in a heat of the NSW Sprint Championships at Wentworth Park.
Now trained in Victoria by Anthony Azzopardi, Ando’s Mac (pictured) qualifies for NSW heats of the National Championships, having previously been located at Jason Mackay’s Hunter Valley kennels.
He will jump from box five in heat one (race five, 520m) of the NSW Sprint Championships in which he will line-up against group race winner Knight Sprite and Golden Easter Egg runner-up Lagoon Jazzy.
Ando’s Mac burst onto the greyhound racing scene with Group 1 wins in the Vic Peters Classic and the Melbourne Cup in late 2016, and Azzopardi said the greyhound is getting back into the form that saw him reach those lofty heights.
“He is getting a bit older so may not be quite as good as he was late last year but he is awfully close to his awesome best,” Azzopardi said.
“After all, Ando's Mac has qualified for two recent group finals – the Winter Cup and the Shepparton Cup - and in my opinion he was unlucky in both of them.”
Azzopardi also has Nangar Rock in box one in heat two (race six, 520m) of the NSW Sprint Championships, but admitted he would have liked that greyhound in box seven or eight.
“Nangar Rock can handle an inside box but he will want to push out from the inside fence,” Azzopardi said.
Up against Nangar Rock is El Magnifico who seems well positioned in box two and trainer Julie Fletcher reports that the greyhound will be at his best on Saturday night.
“He was unlucky from a wide draw at his last Wentworth Park race, his first from a spell, and he is better positioned close to the rails,” Fletcher said.
“El Magnifico has been working a treat since his last run at Wenty and providing he clears Nangar Rock in the run to the first turn, I think he will be hard to beat.”
Meanwhile, recent Peter Mosman Classic winner Mister Twister has a tricky draw in heat three (race seven, 520m).
Mister Twister has box six and must contend with Dawn Mini and She's Grand, a pair of brilliant beginners, in boxes seven and eight.
Value in that race could be the DEAN Swain-trained greyhound Effective Comet, who has box four but possesses abundant early pace and is capable of beginning quickly.
Jeff Collerson’s selections
Best Bet: El Magnifico: (Race 6)
Best Value: Effective Comet (Race 7)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 5, 3, 6
Race 6 - 2, 5, 1
Race 7 - 4, 6, 3
Race 8 - 1, 2
$20 for 37.03%
