Chasin' Crackers set the fastest time in the heats of the Ladbrokes Vic Peters Classic but has drifted from favour in tonight’s semi finals because of his wide draw.
While Chasin’ Crackers’ price has drifted, trainer Glenn Rounds believes his greyhound capable of handling box seven in the opening semi-final (race six, 520m).
Chasin' Crackers led throughout in his heat, exiting box two and covering the 520m in a brilliant 29.62.
“The measure of a top notcher is the ability to win when the dog does not have everything in his favour,” Rounds said.
“I am confident Chasin' Crackers will handle the draw providing he begins cleanly. I believe he will run in a straight line between the starting boxes and the first turn so with a decent start he should be okay.”
Hobby trainer Chris Carl has four members of a litter he bred in the Vic Peters qualifying races and rates Fast Car Driving (second semi-final, race seven) and Curtain Call (third semi-final, race eight) as his best prospects.
“Fast Car Driving pulled up really well after winning his heat from box four in 30.14 and he has a fantastic draw on Saturday night,” Carl said.
“Curtain Call will be big odds but I think he will be my big improver. He had not raced at Wentworth Park before finishing fourth in his heat and was a bit under-done for that race.
“The only time he had previously seen Wenty was in a box-to-box trial and in his heat he missed the jump and had to come from last to squeeze into the semis.”
Curtain Call's toughest rivals are favourites Mr Pupparazzi and Kingsbrae Cheeko along with the superbly positioned Boil And Bubble, who will jump from box eight.
Boil And Bubble lacks strength at the finish but possesses terrific early pace and runs her best races when drawn wide.
Fastest heat winner in this semi-final is the Jason Magri-trained Mr Pupparazzi, who led throughout in 29.66, which was second quickest time of the night.
Mr Pupparazzi will need to begin quickly again on Saturday from his awkward draw.
Hayley Moffitt, daughter of successful trainer Jodie Lord, owns two of the strongest chances in the third semi-final with her greyhounds Bombshell Bandit and Crash Bandicoot having drawn well in boxes one and two respectively.
Lord trains Bombshell Bandit and was the former trainer of Crash Bandicoot, who is now with Victorian trainer Anthony Azzopardi.
“Bombshell Bandit and Crash Bandicoot have equal ability but Crash Bandicoot often seems to take off at the wrong time and finds trouble,” Jodie Lord said.
“The draw favours Bombshell Bandit so I lean to her as Hayley's better chance.”
Bekin Street, the best Wentworth Park performer in the Classic semi-finals, again has a tricky draw, getting box six in the third semi.
But with a good start Bekin Street should be able to outpace the greyhounds drawn around him and come home too strongly for the Moffitt-owned duo.
Bekin Street overcame a moderate start and a mid-race bump to win his heat in 29.99.
Jeff Collerson’s Selections
Best Bet: Egyptian Pirate (Race 3)
Best Value: Bombshell Bandit (Race 8)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 1, 3
Race 6 - 7, 1, 2
Race 7 - 8, 5, 1
Race 8 - 1, 6, 2
$20 for 37.03%
