It's rare to see a greyhound get as wide at the first turn as Two Times Twice did before finishing third in last week's Ladbrokes Peter Mosman Classic which is why the dog looks a special from his perfect box eight draw this Saturday night at Wentworth Park.
Two Times Twice had box one in the Group 1 Classic final but lost all chance when he veered so wide at the first bend that part-owner Dennis Donoghue exclaimed: "He almost hit the outside fence!''
Under the circumstances Two Times Twice put up a mighty effort to come from last at the catching pen and finish third, beaten only a length, behind Velocity Liberty and Zipping Falcon.
Two Times Twice has box eight in this Saturday night's top grade 520m event, the Bill Baker Memorial Stakes, and showed his liking for the outside trap when he wore the pink rug to victory in the Group 2 Queensland Derby final at Albion Park on April 19.
While Two Times Twice appeals as Saturday night's star bet, there is good value in Rockstar Kyle, who has box two in race two, a 520m fifth grade heat.
Rockstar Kyle was making only his second Wentworth Park appearance when a strong finishing second to Pixel Pak in a slick 30.08 last Saturday.
His trainer Matt Murphy landed his first city winner at last week's meeting, winning a 720m event with Rockstar Kyle's litter sister Rockstar Kerr.
"Rockstar Kyle should improve on last week's Wentworth Park run because his only previous look at the track had been on May 9,'' Murphy said.
"I was very happy with his effort last week and although Rockstar Kyle gets off the track a little in the run to the first turn box two should be okay.
"He used to run in a straight line from wherever he drew but since he cracked a hock earlier in his career he has tended to prefer going around dogs, so a middle draw would probably have been better.''
Belle's Chorus led throughout to win in a smart 30.03 at Wentworth Park in February and should only need to repeat that performance to win Saturday night's fourth event, a 520m fifth grade.
"Belle's Chorus is going every bit as well as she was when she won at Wenty earlier this year and having box one on Saturday night is a big plus for her,'' trainer Ron Bell said.
"She has had two wins and a second from her past four starts but would have been even more impressive had she not been getting poor boxes.
"When she is boxed away from the rails Belle's Chorus crossed sharply to the left in the run to the first turn, so Saturday night's draw could not be better.''
Wenty fans love watching staying races and Saturday night's sixth event, the 720m Xmas In July Book Now Stakes, is set to be a thriller.
Big Butters, Kanzan, Sherbini, Rockstar Kerr and Daisies The One, all last start long-distance Wentworth Park winners, clash in the fourth and fifth grade event.
While there is not a lot between this in-form quintet, the box draw favours Big Butters, who is the quickest Wentworth Park 720m winner in the lineup.
Big Butters, who has box eight on Saturday, made full use of box seven at her most recent Wentworth Park outing when she led throughout on June 6, winning by five lengths in 42.29.
That time was .21sec better than her previous best Wentworth Park time and is .11sec quicker than the fastest figures posted by Sherbini, whose 42.40 is the quickest of Big Butters' four main rivals.
"Big Butters is the ideal stayer,'' trainer Andrew Crouch said.
"She invariably begins smartly and makes the pace in her long-distance races, but she is usually going just as strongly at the finish as she was in the early stages.''
Jeff Collerson’s Selections
Best Bet: Two Times Twice (race 8)
Best Value: Rockstar Kyle (race 2)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 5, 1, 4
Race 6 - 8, 5, 2
Race 7 - 1, 3
Race 8 - 8, 3, 6
$20 for 37.03%
