Terra Torra will be all the rage from box one in this evening’s Group 3 Charcoal Inn Casino Cup (race eight, 484m), but Darren Russell, the trainer of fastest qualifier Snug, is confident of upsetting the favourite.
In last week's heats of the cup, Snug covered the 484m in 27.92 while Terra Torra won in 27.93. Both greyhounds exited box two last Friday and each led throughout.
Terra Tora will jump from box one tonight while Snug will jump from box four, with Queensland-based Russell, who trained last year's Lismore Cup winner Tripum, not concerned by the awkward draw.
“Snug pulled up enormous after her heat win and box four is okay,” Russell said.
“There is not a lot of speed on Snug's outside and she is a good beginner who will run in a straight line out of the starting boxes. If she is sitting just behind Terra Torra in the early stages I'll be very happy.”
While Terra Torra jumped in front and was not headed last week, Snug was hampered slightly at the first turn so should be capable of improvement.
Best outsider in the Casino Cup looms as the speedy Bintang Laurie, who made the pace before being run down by prolific Wentworth Park winner Cosmic Bonus in his heat.
Although Cosmic Bonus took 28.11 to beat Bintang Laurie last week, the runner-up's trainer Corey Mutton said his greyhound has trialled faster.
“Bintang Laurie has been home schooled at Casino, he knows every centimetre of the track,” Mutton said.
“He once broke 28 seconds in a trial over the 484m there and I think he will be suited out in box seven in Friday's final.
“I run my own fencing business but began training greyhounds as a hobby six years ago and this is my first group finalist. Bintang Laurie is owned by a good mate of mine, Neil Falls, who tried to sell the dog. When Neil could not find a buyer for him he asked me to train the dog.”
Most experienced cup finalists are Cosmic Bonus, trained at Grafton by Evelyn Harris, and Aston Ebert, who is with Geoff Grimwood in the Hunter Valley.
Cosmic Bonus, who has won 18 of 38 starts, is a Casino specialist, having won four of his six races on the Northern Rivers circuit.
Aston Ebert, one of a huge team raced by Victorian businessman Ray Borda, has won 22 of 76 outings and when he came from midfield to win his heat he was having only his second start at Casino.
The other feature race at Casino is the Bob & Ruth Thompson Memorial (race six, 620m) where the John Dart-trained Tahlia's Way will be a short priced favourite.
Tahlia's Way, one of NSW's most exciting middle and long distance prospects, won her heat by 10 lengths, covering the 620m in 36.26.
Tahlia's Way is expected to be sent out an odds-on favourite after drawing box one in the final, with her kennelmate Joe's Drinking, a 36.41 heat winner, is next pick from box three.
Golden Khan, trained by Jeff Ahern, was the other heat winner in 36.40, but he has drawn awkwardly in box five.
Jeff Collerson’s selections
Best Bet: Tahlia's Way (Race 6)
Best Value: Snug (Race 8)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 2, 1
Race 6 - 1, 3, 5
Race 7 - 1, 6
Race 8 - 4, 1, 3, 7
$20 for 41.66%
