Goodwin Terry is a good railer but the four-year-old's record from box eight suggests he relishes the extreme outside draw and is the dog to beat at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night (Race 4, 520m).
The Bryan Young-trained greyhound will wear the pink rug in the 520m fourth and fifth grade event and as a winner of 10 Wentworth Park races he looks well placed.
Goodwin Terry has won six of his nine starts from box eight and trainer Young explained that there was nothing amiss with the greyhound when he was scratched from last Wednesday's Wentworth Park meeting.
"He had box seven last week and was in a race I was convinced he could win,'' Young said.
"But Goodwin Terry had endured two successive 40 degree days and I did not want to subject him to a two-and-a-half hours drive to Sydney from my kennels at Kearsley.
"Under the rules I was allowed to take Goodwin Teddy out of last week's race without penalty so he is fit as a fiddle and raring to go this week.''
There is little between heat winners Wighton and Sunset Warrior on times recorded last week for Wednesday's Goulburn To Wentworth Park Final (Race 2, 520m).
Wighton won his heat in 25.26 while Sunset Warrior covered the Goulburn 440m trip in 25.31, with each greyhound coming from behind to win.
Wighton's Wentworth Park experience seems to give him the edge on Wednesday, but he could have trouble getting around the wide running Sunny Village in the rush to the first turn.
Sunny Village, who has brilliant early pace, has box five while Wighton has drawn seven, with Sunset Warrior, a newcomer to Wentworth Park, in box three.
Sunset Warrior's trainer Michael Clayton is happy with his greyhound's draw.
"He is a handy and very honest dog who will run in a straight line from the boxes to the first turn, he won't charge to the rails but won't run off badly either,'' Clayton said.
"Sunset Warrior did not begin fast at Goulburn but is capable of spearing the lids while at other times he just comes out on terms with his rivals.
"I have given him box practice since last week's Goulburn heat hoping to make him nail the start at Wenty.''
Wednesday night's sole long-distance race, a top grade 720m event, features the Wentworth Park return of Ebby Ripper, who shattered Sand Burner's 10-year-old track record in winning over 700m at Bathurst last week.
But while Ebby Ripper is the class runner of the field, up-and-coming stayers Bolt Like Bekim, Zipping Lady and Springcreek Bill will keep her on her toes.
Zipping Lady and Ebby Ripper were finalists in the Group 3 Summer Cup over 720m at Wentworth Park on December 9, with Zipping Lady fading to seventh after being third early and Ebby Ripper coming from the back of the field to run fifth to Scott Keeping.
The improver in the race looms as Bolt Like Bekim, a certainty beaten when second to Egyptian Pirate over 720m at Wentworth Park last Wednesday.
This week's assignment is tougher but Bolt Like Bekim has clocked a very competitive 42.43 at Wentworth Park and only Ebby Ripper, with a personal best time of 42.16, has gone faster.
Last week Bolt Like Bekim was slowly away and after colliding at the first turn was forced to give the winner a huge start in the middle stages.
He rattled home to go under by just over a length with trainer David Power commenting: "Bolt Like Bekim had fallen over at his previous start at Richmond so that race will be a good confidence booster for him.''
Poco Dorado, whose three provincial wins include a sizzling 30.51 performance in the Globe Memorial Maiden Classic at Richmond in November, makes her keenly anticipated city debut in race six, a Ladbrokes National Futurity Prelude over 520m.
Poco Dorado had box eight in the Globe Memorial but won brilliantly from box one at Richmond two starts back and looks a safe bet from the rails on Wednesday.
Jeff Collerson’s Selection’s
Best Bet Poco Dorado (race 6)
Best Value Bolt Like Bekim (race 5)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 7, 4, 6
Race 6 - 1, 3, 8
Race 7 - 2, 4
Race 8 - 4, 3, 1
$20 for 37.03%
