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Chasin' Crackers was an outstanding third to Mister Twister and Up Hill Jill in the Peter Mosman Classic final in June but will be an even better greyhound when he lines up for tonight's Ladbrokes Vic Peters Classic heats at Wentworth Park.
That's the opinion of the dog's Victorian trainer Glenn Rounds, with Chasin' Crackers having scored four wins and two seconds from his past seven starts.
Chasin' Crackers (pictured, photo Paul Munt) returns to Sydney for heat three of the Group 1 Vic Peters (race five, 520m) and from his suitable box two draw he looks the bet of the night.
"He has matured and is a lot better than when he won at Wentworth Park earlier this year before finishing third in the Peter Mosman final there,'' Rounds said.
"Chasin' Crackers is now 26 months old and has matured into a real race dog.''
Rounds' greyhound has a great draw as Bogan Doonie, who has box one, is talented but is a notoriously slow beginner.
Hardest for Chasin' Crackers to beat should be the inexperienced Zagati, but that exciting prospect has drawn the wrong side of the track.
Zagati made full use of box one to win first-up at Wentworth Park in a slick 29.97 last week but has drawn poorly in box eight on Saturday.
Best value bet comes in heat two of the Vic Peters with the Victorian-trained Crash Bandicoot (race four, 520m), already a Wentworth Park winner, in box eight.
Crash Bandicoot is trained by Anthony Azzopardi, who took out last week's Group 1 Adelaide Cup with Raw Ability.
"Although Crash Bandicoot would be better suited from an inside box he can handle an outside draw,'' Azzopardi said.
"As he has got older he has learned not to veer too hard to the left and he is flying at present.
"If he gets a clear run down the outside of the field I think he is capable of running 29.70 around Wenty Park.''
Sydney greyhound Mr Pupparazzi is the likely favourite in heat two but he has a tricky box four draw.
Mr Pupparazzi, having his first start for new trainer Jason Magri, will have to contend with the speedy Squeak Scolari in box five.
Squeak Scolari usually jumps smartly and heads towards the rails, so he could "make'' the race for Crash Bandicoot.
Manila Kampyon has won four of six Victorian starts but trainer Seona Thompson has issued a warning that her greyhound is badly positioned in box five in heat one of the Classic (race three, 520m).
"He is a fairly safe beginner but he is the keenest railer I have ever trained,'' Thompson said.
"Manila Kampyon will charge to the left when the boxes lift, he is always mad keen to get to the inside.
"But he has a lot of ability and although he has not raced at Wentworth Park he has had a trial there so he knows his way around the track.''
Pre-post Vic Peters favourite Bekin Street has also drawn awkwardly, getting box four in heat four (race six, 520m).
Bekin Street has won six of 10 Wentworth Park starts but will need fancy footwork to dodge the speedy Allonsy Grace, a wide runner who has drawn box three.
Bekin Street's class should prevail but he will need to do every thing right to beat the perfectly drawn Rockstar Stratus, who has box one.
Rockstar Stratus began brilliantly and led throughout from box six at Wentworth Park last Saturday but is more at home from an inside draw.
The Shaun Evans-trained greyhound has won three of her four races from boxes one and two.
Jeff Collerson's picks
Best Bet: Chasin' Crackers (Race 5)
Best Value: Crash Bandicoot (Race 4)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 2, 8
Race 6 - 4, 1, 8
Race 7 - 7, 3
Race 8 - 2, 4, 6
$20 for 55.55%
