Blue Sky Riot's box eight draw gives the Anthony Azzopardi-trained greyhound a wonderful chance to complete a rare 2018 double by taking out Friday night's final of the Group 2 Ladbrokes Richmond Oaks.
Blue Sky Riot won the Group 1 National Futurity, NSW's premier race for female greyhounds, at Wentworth Park on February 3.
She was not only fastest of last Friday's Oaks heat winners, but her time for the 535m of 30.44 surpassed even the 30.48 posted by Two Times Twice as quickest of the Derby heat winners on the same night.
"I could not be happier with box eight for Blue Sky Riot in the Oaks final,'' Azzopardi said.
"She is a pretty consistent beginner and while she probably does need to jump smartly, the draw means she can still win even if she dwells at the start.
"Blue Sky Riot has such high speed in the run to the first bend she can swoop down the outside no matter what happens at box rise.
"I think Poco Drado, who came from a long way back to win her heat in 30.75, and Up Hill Jill, who Chased Blue Sky Riot home last Friday, are the two main dangers.
"But Blue Sky Riot is right at home at Richmond because local trainer Michelle Sultana pre-trains all my young greyhounds on that track before she sends them down to me in Victoria.''
xxxx
Box one in the Richmond Oaks has gone to Poco Dorado but trainer John Finn is disappointed with her rails draw.
"Like her litter brother Two Times Twice, Poco Dorado is desperate for an outside box,'' Finn said.
"I suppose box one is better than her being drawn in the middle but she is going to need luck from the rails.''
Poco Dorado won her heat in 30.75 but staged an amazing performance, getting back in the field from her box three draw and coming from a distant sixth on the back straight.
Second fastest heat was taken out in a sizzling 30.46 by Bathurst Cup winner Miss Splendamiro, who took the lead on the back straight before winning easily for local trainer Hank Vanderburg.
The much improved My Country, prepared by Neil Staines at Yass, won the other heat in 30.63.
Box draw for the Oaks final is:
1 Poco Dorado
2 Sheez My Chicki
3 Up Hill Jill
4 Little Nangar
5 My Country
6 Chase The Cash
7 Miss Splendamiro
8 Blue Sky Riot
Reserves
9 Bogan Doonie
10 My Little Mate.
xxxx
While John Finn was almost "shattered'' by seeing Poco Dorado draw box one in the Oaks, he was elated when that greyhound's sibling Two Times Twice drew box seven in Friday night's Group 2 Richmond Derby final.
Two Times Twice goes into the race as fastest qualifier, having taken the lead at the first turn to win his 535m heat in 30.48.
Aston-duke">Aston">Aston Duke, second fastest heat winner with a 30.59 effort, has drawn box one.
The draw makes the Derby look almost a "match race'' between Two Times Twice and Aston-duke">Aston">Aston Duke, who was hampered at the first bend headed pacemaker Wild Walter leaving the back straight.
"Box one gives Aston-duke">Aston">Aston Duke a genuine chance in the final,'' trainer Jason Mackay said.
"Although he has won at Wentworth Park from outside boxes, if he had drawn wide in a race like the Derby final Aston-duke">Aston">Aston Duke would have been hard pressed to win.''
Victorian trained pair Aston-frankel">Aston">Aston Frankel (30.64) and Hone In (30.82) were the other Derby heat winners.
Box draw for Friday night's Richmond Derby final is
1 Aston-duke">Aston">Aston Duke
2 Aston-frankel">Aston">Aston Frankel
3 Hone In
4 Wild Walter
5 Maurice Minor
6 Aston It Is
7 Two Times Twice
8 Big Black with
Reserves
9 Crash Bandicoot
10 Irinka Milo.
