Track record holder Falcon's Fury is all the rage for the Ladbrokes Bathurst Gold Cup series beginning today but trainers of arch rivals Miss Splendamiro, Fast Car Driving and Bombshell Bandit remain especially upbeat about causing an upset.
Falcon's Fury, who has won six of his eight races at Bathurst, clocked an unmatched 29.24 at his most recent start there on January 29.
He had box four in that race and trainer Paul Braddon is happy with his box six draw in tomorrow's first Heat.
"I like Falcon's Fury drawn wide and since his record breaking win at Bathurst he has trialled well at Richmond and Cowra.
"He broke the course record at Cowra and recorded a smart 30.50 in a 535m hit-out at Richmond, where he will be tackling the Group 2 Derby Heats on March 2.''
Fast Car Driving, fresh from a 10 lengths win over 520m at Wentworth Park in a personal best 29.80, will oppose Falcon's Fury tomorrow.
"At least Falcon's Fury has drawn outside my greyhound,'' Fast Car Driving's trainer Chris Carl said.
"Because Fast Car Driving won so easily at Wenty on February 10 he turned around in the catching pen after the race and the dogs chasing him home crashed into him and knocked him over.
"He was a bit stiff and sore for a couple of days but is fine now.
"Fast Car Driving has not raced over the 520m Cup course at Bathurst but he flies around that track, scoring his first win there over 450m in 25.59, fastest time ever recorded by a maiden.''
Shortest priced favourite tomorrow will be Miss Splendamiro, who has drawn box one in Heat two.
"That's a fantastic draw for her,'' trainer Hank Vanderburg exclaimed.
"Miss Splendamiro has raced only once at Bathurst, winning over 520m in 29.82, but she has trialled 29.40 there.
"She has not raced since scoring her best win, in 29.83 at Wentworth Park on February 10, but is at her peak for Bathurst.
"I gave Miss Splendamiro a hand-slip up the straight on Wednesday morning with my veterinary surgeon giving her the once over on Thursday and declaring her 100 per cent.''
Southern Highlands trainer Jodie Lord has Corrupt Millions (box four) in Heat two of the Cup and will also be represented by Bombshell Bandit (box one) in Heat three and by Rohan Hill (box four) in Heat four.
"I took my trio to Bathurst on Thursday morning to give them a look at the track and they all trialled well,'' Lord said.
"Rohan Hill went the quickest but because she has box one in her Heat, I rate Bombshell Bandit as my best chance.
"Bathurst is a front-runner's track with a tight little first turn and from box one Bombshell Bandit should be off and gone when they go around that bend.''
Heat four is the most open of the Cup qualifiers with track specialists Little Digger (box two), Roman Red (seven) and Ferrero Miss (eight) each well positioned.
Little Digger, trained by Jack Smith at FORBES, has won three of his five Bathurst 520m races, the John Chapman-trained Roman Red has won two from four and Falcon's Fury's kennelmate Ferrero Miss is a winner there and is unbeaten in three starts from the outside trap.
On times there is little between the trio, with Roman Red's personal best 29.76 shading Little Digger's 29.78 and Ferrero Miss' 29.94.
First and second in today's four Heats will qualify for Friday night's $15,000 to the winner final.
