A tonsillectomy was responsible for resurrecting the career of exciting youngster Steelcity Boxing who posted fastest time in last Wednesday's nine heats of the Group 3 Ladbrokes Magic Maiden.
Steelcity Boxing was the only heat winner to break the 30sec barrier, clocking 29.90 for the Wentworth Park 520m trip despite having last use of the track.
He will be all the rage for the $25,000 to the winner final if he can win his semi-final this Wednesday night.
But Darryl Thomas, who trains the greyhound for his breeder Brad Canty and Newcastle boxing promoter and gymnasium proprietor Rob Fogarty, has warned the box draw will be crucial.
"Steelcity Boxing can run like the wind but he does not have brilliant early speed,'' Thomas said.
"His heat run was super because he was having his first start in nine weeks and collided heavily with the runner-up, Nangar Jack, soon after the start.
"For him to run away and win by more than 10 lengths was a marvellous effort.
"When he finished seventh at his only previous race, at Wentworth Park on January 10, he hurt his hock and then came down with infected tonsils.
"By the time we had the troublesome tonsils removed we decided to save him for the Magic Maiden series.''
Portland trainer Peter Barnes, whose dog My Mate Fox led throughout to win his heat in 30.15, agrees with Thomas that the box draw for Wednesday's semis will be all important.
"It was vital in the heats but will be even more crucial in the semis because so many of the qualifiers are evenly matched,'' Barnes said.
Ritza Millie, whose two fast Wentworth Park trials last month made her a hot favourite, led throughout in 30.12, second best time, while My Mate Fox was next fastest.
Other heats were taken out by Winlock Huddy and Diddilee (both in 30.16), Nangar Gift (30.18), Velocity Liberty (30.26), Nangar Jill (30.55) and Private Nangar in 30.57.
Second placegetters Waitohi, who was a certainty beaten behind Velocity Liberty, Embye, whose box six draw brought him undone in his clash with Winlock Huddy, and Sunburnt Highway, who chased home Diddilee, are also strong contenders.
Hank Vanderburg, who trains Diddilee and Wiatohi, said: "There is little between my pair but Waitohi is probably a fraction quicker.''
Embye's trainer Ruth Matic is banking on an inside draw for her greyhound, who was badly hampered when attempting to cross to the rails from his wide alley in his heat.
"Embye trialled 29.82 at his final Wentworth Park trial before the Magic Maiden heats but is still learning and all he wanted to do was find the fence last Wednesday,'' Matic said.
Matic won the 2015 Magic Maiden final with Black Bear Lee, who took 30.27 to cover the 520m journey.
John Richardson, part-owner of Sunburnt Highway said: "Our dog trialled 30.10 in his first 520m hit-out at Wenty and that run, plus his good second behind Diddilee, should have him ready to improve in the semi-finals.''
Most successful trainer in Wednesday's heats was Cudal breeder Dennis Barnes who won with Nangar Gift, Nangar Jill and Private Nangar.
Although Nangar Gift posted much faster heat time, Barnes still ranks Nangar Jill his best prospect.
"She had previously trialled 30.20 at Wenty so I was disappointed when she only clocked 30.55 winning her heat,'' Barnes said.
"From box six she was hampered a bit in the run to the first corner so with a decent draw she can definitely go faster in the semi-finals.''
First and second placetters in Wednesday's semi-finals will qualify for the final on Golden Easter Egg night, April 31, the culmination of Wentworth Park's Easter Carnival.
