Siblings Two Times Twice and Poco Dorado are among the favourites in Friday night's Group 2 Richmond Derby and Oaks finals but their litter brother Blue Moon Rising shapes up as tonight's stand out bet at Wentworth Park.
A certainty beaten when second at Wentworth Park last Saturday, Blue Moon Rising has box five in race three, a 520m fourth and fifth grade.
This draw is better than it looks on paper as Deejay Frankie (box four) usually jumps well and veers sharply to the left while Miss Abbeyvale, who has box six, is inclined to stay wide.
Like Two Times Twice and Poco Dorado, Blue Moon Rising is trained by John Finn who must have been rapt in his greyhound's effort last Saturday.
Blue Moon Rising had box seven but after missing the jump was badly hampered by a keen railing rival who had drawn box eight.
Blue Moon Rising lost all chance as a result of that interference but rattled home to be the runner-up, just over a length behind the winner, Tornado Time.
Little Digger, a luckless fifth in a heat of the Richmond Derby last Friday, should only need a clear run from box four to take out Wednesday's 520m Free-For-All.
Little Digger was checked at the start and met with more trouble at the top of the straight when finishing just behind the placegetters in the harder Richmond race.
His trainer Ray Smith has a strong chance of landing a double tonight as he has Midnight Treat chasing her 15th win when she exits box five in race two, a 520m fifth grade.
Midnight Treat is better known as a stayer but at her most recent Wentworth Park 520m outing she stormed home to beat a similar field in smart time on February 3.
"Her problem will be that if she gets cluttered up early she might revert to long-distance mode and get too far back,'' Smith said.
"But she is fit and well and so is Little Digger, who has done a treat since his fifth at Richmond on Friday.''
Trainer Sid Swain is keen to test Eleanor Rascal over 600 metres but gives his greyhound a good chance of opening her Wentworth Park account in tonight's 520m sixth race, a fifth grade affair.
"She is beautifully drawn in box eight,'' Swain said.
"Eleanor Rascal has no future as a sprinter because her middle sectional times are poor but she gets to the line very strongly, especially over the final 50 metres.''
Tonight's opening event, another 520m fifth grade, features an absorbing clash between Brett Brann (box one), Tristan Cannon (two), Teresa's Hawke (three) and Real Simple (five).
The draw favours Brett Brann, a last start Wentworth Park winner who is trained at Moore Creek, near Tamworth, by Tony Atkins.
Brett Brann scored his 12th win from 43 starts when he led throughout at Wentworth Park on February 23, stopping the clock at 30.41.
"This dog has had many injury setbacks but has always been quicker than his brother and kennelmate, Barney Brann, who has won at Wenty in 30.22,'' Atkins said.
"He is four years old but is going as well as ever and from box one on a fast track Brett Brann should be able to get down to around the 30.20 mark.
"Getting to Wenty is a six hours drive but fortunately Brett Brann is a good traveller.''
Brett Brann has a great draw because early favourite Tristan Cannon, drawn on his outside, tends to run wide in the early stages.
And while Teresa's Hawke and Real Simple possess blistering early pace, they are "suspect'' at the Wentworth Park 520m trip.
Jeff Collerson’s Selection’s
Best Bet: Blue Moon Rising (race 4)
Best Value: Midnight Treat (race 2)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 5, 4, 6
Race 6 - 8, 3, 1
Race 7 - 7, 4, 5
Race 8 - 4, 2
$20 for 37.03%
