Two Times Twice's parents won consecutive National Sprint Championships and the John Finn-trained greyhound is expected to live up to his regal parentage by taking out tonight's lucrative final of the Globe Memorial Maiden Classic at Richmond (race eight, 535m).
Fernando Bale, the sire of Two Times Twice, won the 2015 National Sprint Championship and is considered the best greyhound of the modern era, while his dam Chica Destacada took out the 2014 Championship and was crowned NSW greyhound of the year.
Two Times Twice won his Globe Memorial semi-final in a brilliant 30.68 with Sheez My Chicki (30.84), Abundant Assets (30.93) and Blitzem Miah (31.02) the other winners.
That means Two Times Twice has the equivalent of well over two lengths on his nearest rival and while the greyhound has drawn box four in tonight's $15,000 to the winner final, Finn is not too concerned.
“Two Times Twice gets off the track a bit so the box looks okay,” Finn said.
“Sheez My Chicki, who has box two, and Tear Town, in box one, look the hardest to beat.”
Finn also has qualified with Poco Dorado as first reserve, and that greyhound was the unlucky runner of the semi-finals when third to Blitzem Miah, after being badly hampered at the first turn.
“Poco Dorado used to be a touch quicker than Two Times Twice but she has not yet produced that form in races, while her brother has gone from strength to strength and done everything right,” Finn said.
Sheez My Chicki's trainer Christine Proctor, meanwhile, is delighted with her greyhound's box two draw and is confident of a bold showing.
In last week's semi-final Sheez My Chicki jumped in front but after being momentarily beaten for early pace, she regained the lead going through the catching pen to record a strong finishing win.
“My husband Alan has always had a high opinion of Sheez My Chicki but she has continued to improve every week,” Proctor said.
“She is a good railer and is usually a reliable beginner, while at the same time she has strength at the finish of the Richmond 535m trip. We were hoping for an inside draw so box two gives her a terrific chance.”
Tear Town, who clocked the fastest initial split of 5.33 before finishing second in Blitzem Miah's semi-final, is expected to make the pace from box one.
But Tear Town's trainer Michael Ivers, while believing his greyhound will be in front at the first corner, admits she will need luck to win.
“I'm a realist and while Tear Town is gradually getting a bit stronger at the end of her races, she can't run the times that Two Times Twice and Sheez My Chicki can record,” Ivers said.
“If Tear Town gets away with a clear lead and her inexperienced young rivals get tangled up behind her, she could pinch the race. But I doubt that Tear Town can cover the 535m in much better than 31 seconds flat, so that might not be good enough.”
A great sidelight to the Maiden Classic programme is the first Richmond middle distance appearance of Lochinvar Hugo, who has box four in the 5th grade Globe Memorial Company Stakes (race five, 618m).
Lochinvar Hugo, who has won 19 of 28 starts, will be chasing his 12th successive victory for Newcastle trainer Robert Smith.
While Lochinvar Hugo has not contested a middle distance race at Richmond, the greyhound is familiar to the Londonderry circuit, having finished a good second in a 535m event earlier in his career.
