Midnight Francis was the slowest heat winner but she can improve sufficiently to take out tonight's final of the Phil Davis Memorial at Richmond. That's the opinion of trainer Dean Swain, who concedes his greyhound was below her best last week but will be a far better greyhound in the final.
"She wasn't herself last Friday but she did enough to win, despite missing the jump and having to work hard to get to the front,'' Swain said.
"Midnight Francis clocked 31.19sec to win her 535m heat last Friday but has won in 30.84sec at Richmond and has trialled even quicker there, clocking 30.60sec during a morning session.
"Her box two draw is great and although she bungled the start last Friday, Midnight Francis is capable of jumping near the front.
"I won this race a few years ago with a greyhound called Had A Blinder, who was killed by a snake soon after winning the Phil Davis.''
Toughest for Midnight Francis to beat could be the Barry Riccio-trained Mr Pupparazzi, who ran down the speedy Big Black to win his heat in 30.79sec. Mr Pupparazzi has box five in Friday night's final but Riccio is not greatly concerned.
"He had box two in his heat and has drawn either two or five in eight of his 10 races, so he is accustomed to the middle draw,'' Riccio said.
"Mr Pupparazzi pulled up well after his heat win and when I trialled him up the straight on Tuesday, he ran exactly the same time as he had recorded in a similar trial three days before his heat win.''
Mr Pupparazzi was second fastest qualifier, with the Garry Edwards-trained Panel Beater setting the time standard with a 30.78sec winning performance. But Panel Beater, who lacks early pace, had box two in his heat and has drawn poorly in box six in the final.
"I told friends after the heats that the only boxes I did not want Panel Beater to get in the final were six, seven or eight,'' trainer Garry Edwards said.
"He has come up with box six so I can only hope he can find the rails going around the first turn.
"Panel Beater had never seen the Richmond track before the heats as I threw him in cold.
"So for him to win without having seen the track and to record the fastest time was a big effort.
"But the move from box two last week to box six on Friday is no help.
"Mr Pupparazzi, who has box five, is a keen railer, so he might give my dog enough room to cross to the fence in the run to the first corner.''
Corleone Kid, who has box four, could hold the key to the race. She was impressive winning her heat in 30.83 but raced very wide from box seven so is likely to want to shift to the outside of the track in the early stages of the final.
If there is an upset in the Phil Davis, named in honour of the former on course veterinary surgeon at Richmond, it could come from Jody Lee Kade. She led throughout to win her heat from box five in 30.86 and with wide running Corleone Kid in box four, Jody Lee Kade has a suitable draw in box three.
Jeff Collerson's selections
Best Bet: Chase The Cash (Race 5)
Best Value: Vicki Keeping (Race 6)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 4, 3
Race 6 - 2, 5, 7
Race 7 - 2, 6, 4
Race 8 - 2, 5, 3
$20 for 37.03%
