A star-studded line-up of greyhounds will compete in the heats of the Group 2 Sires On Ice Black Top (515m) at LADBROKES GARDENS on Friday afternoon.
Seven heats will take place on Friday with the winners of each event as well as the fastest runner-up qualifying for next week’s $40,000 final.
The strongest heat is undoubtedly the second, featuring Vic Peters Classic winner Mister Twister, who is undefeated in four races at LADBROKES GARDENS and has rocketed over the 515m Black Top journey in 29.24.
Mister Twister will be hot favourite but Zambora Cross, a winner of 21 of 53 races, and the ideally drawn wide runner Effective Comet, who has box eight, will also have their supporters.
Zipping Inglis is also in the heat, but his trainer Matt Lanigan is looking forward to making the 12 hour drive from his Swan Hill base to Wallsend’s LADBROKES GARDENS.
“Zipping Inglis is flying at present and when he led throughout at Horsham, Victoria, over 485m last Saturday night, he beat a line-up of group race quality greyhounds,” Lanigan said.
“I realise he is in for a tough battle because he has box three and Mister Twister and Zambora Cross, a pair of top quality greyhounds, have drawn inside him. But Zipping Inglis has begun fast at his past four or five races so has never been in better form.
“'He is also proven at LADBROKES GARDENS where he won two of three races when trained previously in NSW by Jason Mackay.”
In the other heats, successful Melbourne trainer Seona Thompson has been fortunate as her greyhounds Aqua Cheetah (heat three, race six) and Aston Bolero (heat six, race nine) have each come up with box one.
Group 3 Christmas Gift winner Royal Turbo, meanwhile, will have his first race start at the track in heat four (race Seven).
Royal Turbo is well drawn in box two but is likely to face stern opposition from Set To Storm who has box three and is a winner at LADBROKES GARDENS in a sizzling 29.49.
Riley Tokaam won at Wentworth Park last Wednesday and again on Saturday, but while he has the rails in heat five (race eight), this wide running greyhound would be better positioned in an outside box. This means Mr. Vuitton in box six, and Kong in Seven, look hard for Riley Tokaam to topple.
Marbo's Magic, winner of the Group 2 Maitland Gold Cup, is another greyhound having his first race start at the track in heat Seven (race 10).
Pam Braddon, whose husband Paul trains Marbo's Magic, a winner of 24 from 39 races, has Spring Jazz in the same race.
“We took Marbo’s Magic and Spring Jazz, which I train, to the track for a trial and while Marbo's Magic did not set the place alight he was short of a run,” Pam said.
“We are disappointed our two are in the same heat, with Marbo's Magic in box one and Spring Jazz in two. But while Spring Jazz is a fast beginner she should run straight so shouldn't hamper Marbo's Magic.”
Jeff Collerson’s selections
Best Bet: Mister Twister (Race 5)
Best Value: Royal Turbo (Race 7)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 1, 3, 2
Race 6 - 1, 7, 5
Race 7 - 2, 3
Race 8 - 6, 7, 1
$20 for 37.03%
