Chevy King, who took out the Group 3 New Sensation at Wentworth Park on April 15 before winning three consecutive top grade races there, is poised to return to the metropolitan winning list tonight.
The Christine Proctor-trained greyhound has been racing without luck at Wentworth Park since resuming from a spell but produced his best form with a fast 26.37 win over 472m at Bulli on Saturday night.
Chevy King has box five in tonight's night's free-for-all – the @Wpgrey on Twitter Stakes (race eight, 520m) - and Proctor was encouraged by the greyhound’s Bulli win.
“Bad boxes have brought him unstuck at his past couple of Wentworth Park starts and he has box five,” Proctor said.
“But he had box seven at Bulli and despite missing the jump he did not crash across towards the rails the way he used to do at Wenty when he was last in training.”
Chevy King's toughest rival in tonight's feature race should be this year's National Derby winner Big Daddy Bee, who is a versatile greyhound that has starred over both 520m and 720m.
Ray Smith, who trains Big Daddy Bee, also has Dandy Jack in Wednesday's race.
“Dandy Jack has box one so should lead Big Daddy Bee to the first turn but he is also likely to give the Derby winner, who has box two, a nice cart along the fence,” Smith said.
“Big Daddy Bee should come home too strongly and after the race Dandy Jack will be returning to his Tasmanian owner Helen Pringle to finish his career in Tassie.”
Smith is tipped to win the 4/5th grade Mega Maiden In October Stakes (race five, 720m) with the ideally drawn Midnight Treat, who has box one.
“When she finished third at Wenty last Wednesday Midnight Treat got cluttered up in the early stages from box three so should do better this time,” Smith said.
Dean Swain, meanwhile, could land the quinella in the Gosford To Wentworth Park Final (race six, 520m).
Swain has qualified with fastest heat winner Swirling Pearls, who has box one, and with Big Bender, box seven.
In the 515m heats at Gosford on September 12, Swirling Pearls led throughout to win easily in 29.87, which was fastest time of the night.
Big Bender, who had box eight at Gosford, won in 30.50 after striking early trouble.
“The draw definitely favours Swirling Pearls because she is a good railer, has early pace, and is strong at the finish,” Swain said.
“She has not raced or trialled at Wenty but I don't think that will worry her.
“Big Bender has had a few trials around Wentworth Park so that will help him but he is still learning what racing is all about. While he handled box eight in his heat win at Gosford box seven in the final is no help.”
Best bet should be the consistent Big Butters, a smart beginner who has box one in the 4th grade wentworthpark.com.au Stakes (race four, 520m).
Big Butters boasts the strike rate of 10 wins from 23 starts and with Little Cindy, who gets a little wide, in box two, she should lead all the way.
Good value is Returned Hero, who races in the centre of the track so is not badly positioned in box five in the third heat of the Ladbrokes Cash Out series (race three, 520m).
Jeff Collerson’s selections
Best Bet: Big Butters (Race 4)
Best Value: Returned Hero (Race 3)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 1, 7, 3
Race 6 - 1, 7
Race 7 - 2, 6, 3
Race 8 - 5, 2
$20 for 55.55%
