Weekly swimming and working out on a treadmill has My Little Mate ready to score her second Wentworth Park win in tonight's opening event.
The Barbara Spackman-trained greyhound is ideally drawn in box eight in the 5th grade Ladbrokes Stakes (race one, 520m) and while My Little Mate has not raced beyond 400m since July her trainer says she is raring to go.
At her most recent Wentworth Park outing on July 29, My Little Mate raced away with a big early lead before finishing second to Et Cetera, beaten just under a length. Since resuming from a spell earlier this month My Little Mate has won and finished fourth in 400m races at Richmond.
“My Little Mate is twice as strong as she was when she was last in training,” Spackman said.
“I have been swimming her every Tuesday and each Thursday she works out on a water submerged treadmill which is used extensively for thoroughbreds. This has worked wonders with her stamina.
“My Little Mate has just trialled over 535m at Richmond and she recorded 30.70 on a track the local clockers reckoned was two tenths of a second slower than usual. They also told me her early sectional times were among the fastest ever posted at Richmond.”
Personal trainer Lindsay Davis, who trains greyhounds as a hobby, has Ferrari Key poised to score a first-up Wentworth Park win in the 5th grade gapnsw.com.au Stakes (race 10, 520m).
Ferrari Key has led throughout to win his past two starts over 515m at Ladbroke Gardens, clocking a fast 29.86 on September 8 and a slick 29.81 a week later.
“Although he has not raced at Wenty, Ferrari Key has had a trial there so knows his way around the course,” Davis said.
“I don't think box six will be a problem for him because he has been jumping away well lately. I expect Ferrari Key to run in a straight line from the boxes to the first turn and then cross to the rails when he clears the other dogs.”
The highlight on tonight's card is the Ladbrokes Money Wire Stakes (race three, 720m) a top grade long-distance event boasting a mouth-watering clash between Mr. Shire, Sherbini and Ebby Ripper.
Mr. Shire is widely regarded as Sydney's top stayer but while he has won five of his eight Wentworth Park assignments over 720m, he was beaten into fourth position at his most recent start in the Group 3 Chairman's Cup.
Ebby Ripper was sent out an odds-on favourite when she clashed with Sherbini at Wentworth Park last Saturday and looked all over a winner when she was ahead of her arch rival with a lap to go.
But Ebby Ripper was crowded by a tiring rival approaching the home bend and Sherbini, showing smart track sense, pulled to the outside to avoid trouble and won running away.
Full Of Rust was a certainty beaten when third to Max Cady at Wentworth Park last week and should only need a clear run to the first turn to take out the 4/5th grade Ladbrokes Info Hub Stakes (race five, 520m).
A noted strong finisher, Full Of Rust was putting himself into a prominent position at the first turn last Saturday when he was carried off the track by a wide runner. He is nicely positioned in box three this week.
Jeff Collerson’s selections
Best Bet: Kingsbrae Cheeko (Race 6)
Best Value: Ferrari Key (Race 10)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 3, 1
Race 6 - 1, 2
Race 7 - 8, 1, 6
Race 8 - 2, 1, 4
$20 for 55.55%
