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Watch The Wasp and Up Hill Jill look set to reprise their thrilling duel in the Bob Payne Spring Sprint when they clash in tonight's third heat (race seven, 520m) of the Group 1 Crownbet Dapto Megastar.
In the Bob Payne earlier this month, Up Hill Jill tore away with a huge lead before Watch The Wasp (pictured) unleashed a powerful burst on the back straight to win by a length.
Tonight, Up Hill Jill, who has box three, could turn the tables on Watch The Wasp, who is in box seven, even though both greyhounds are suitably positioned.
Up Hill Jill’s trainer David Geall, prepared his greyhound for the heat with a trial last week in which she recorded a time of 30.29.
“I was satisfied with that run because while the time was not brilliant, the track was on the slow side and there was a 60 to 70 km/h wind gusting around the track,” Geall said.
“She pulled up well and has a nice draw in the Megastar, but obviously Watch The Wasp is going to be hard to hold out again.”
Watch The Wasp, meanwhile, trialled a slick 30.12 when having his first look at Dapto last Friday.
“He can improve on that time because he stumbled coming out of the boxes,” Watch The Wasp’s trainer DEAN Swain said.
“When he went around the first turn he seemed to be feeling his way because he was strange to the track.”
Sydney's top sprinter Mister Twister, who finished a luckless third in the Bob Payne, has box two in heat one (race five, 520m) of the Megastar.
“He has a great draw,'' Mister Twister’s trainer Jason Mackay said.
“Although he had won his only race at Dapto in a fast 29.76 in July I took Mister Twister back there last Friday to refresh his memory about the course. Mister Twister had a post-to-post hand-slip and went nicely.”
Mister Twister faces stern opposition from Where Art Thou, who has won two of her Dapto starts, and the DEAN Swain-trained Techno, who won in 30.15 at his sole appearance on the south coast track.
Rails trap specialist Tiggerlong Dot looks good value after drawing box one in heat two (race six, 520m) of the Megastar.
Trained on the track by Kevin Keys, Tiggerlong Dot has won six of her 13 Dapto races and has been victorious in six of her nine races from box one.
El Magnifico should win heat four (race eight, 520m) after drawing box one and trialling a sensational 29.80 at Dapto last Friday.
Toughest for El Magnifico to beat should be Barking Bad, who has won two group races and whose trainer Michael Eberand has never been in better form.
The top two from each heat will qualify for the Group 1 Crownbet Dapto Megastar final which will be staged next Thursday night.
Click here for Dapto fields, form and tips.
Jeff Collerson’s selections
Best Bet: Mister Twister (Race 5)
Best Value: Tiggerlong Dot (Race 6)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 2, 7, 3
Race 6 - 1, 8, 6
Race 7 - 3, 7, 5
Race 8 - 1, 5
$20 for 37.03%
