Orson Allen has box five in heat eight of the GRNSW + Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase at Wentworth Park on Friday but trainer Correy Grenfell remains confident the dog can score his 13th win in 25 starts.
"Considering he has box five the draw looks okay because of the greyhounds drawn around him and the way Orson Allen handles himself in a field,'' Grenfell said.
"He has had three starts from box five for two wins and a second and while he smashed left at the start at his first run from this draw, he has learned to race and has gone straight at his two subsequent outings.
"Hasten Slowly, who has box four on Friday night, goes to the fence when the boxes lift and could give Orson Allen a clear run to the first turn.
"After his Wenty heat win on September 22 Orson Allen won in smart time at Sandown five nights later and has since trialled at The Meadows.
"He went well in that trial and while he didn't clock sensational time he never goes particularly quick in solo trials as he is more of a race dog.''
When Orson Allen won his Wentworth Park heat at his first Sydney appearance, he led throughout in a blistering 29.43s, time that was bettered only by Benali's near course record 29.29s effort on the same programme.
Grenfell also has Dyna Chancer in box one in the sixth and strongest semi-final, where Poke The Bear, fastest second round Wentworth Park heat winner, has box seven and quickest qualifier Benali is in eight.
"Usually I prefer Dyna Chancer drawn wide but in a hot field like this he needed box one,'' Grenfell said.
"There is not a lot between Dyna Chancer and Orson Allen in trials but Dyna Chancer is not as good in races because he does not have Orson Allen's early speed.''
Miss Splendamiro, NSW's best chance of repelling the Victorian invasion, has box three in the fifth semi against Slingshot Whippa (box one) and another locally-trained greyhound, Mystic Riot, in eight.
Miss Splendamiro was a certainty beaten when second in Orson Allen's sizzling heat and has since led all the way to win at Wentworth Park in 29.52s.
"She needed to be drawn near the fence so box three is fine,'' Miss Splendamiro's trainer George Borg said.
"The outcome might depend on what Despacito, who has box two, does in the run to the first turn.
"Miss Splendamiro might have to beat him out of the boxes because in his Wentworth Park races Despacito has tended to get off the track early.
"Mystic Riot is stepping up in class but looks positioned to get a perfect run down the outside of the field.''
With nearly $853,000 in earnings Victoria's Up Hill Jill is the best performed Million Dollar Chase semi-finalist and she has box one in the third semi-final.
"Since she led and was run down when second in her Chase heat Up Hill Jill has been worked very hard at home,'' trainer David Geall said.
"I expect her to be the pacemaker and she is fit enough to lead all the way.''
Geall is upbeat about Up Hill Jill's kennelmate My Redeemer, who won his heat in 29.67s and has box six in the first semi-final.
"I had been hoping for boxes one, two or three with My Redeemer but there is not a lot of early pace around him and he has a good chance of getting a sit behind West On Augie at the first turn,'' Geall said.
"From box one West On Augie seems likely to be the early leader but if My Redeemer is within three lengths of him on the first bend he might run him down.''
Queenslander Maurice Minor was a luckless second in Despacito's 29.86s heat at his first Wentworth Park outing and looks the value in this race after drawing suitably in box seven.
Best Bet Orson Allen (race 11)
Best Value She's Gifted (race 7)
Quaddie race 5 - 2, 5, 8
Race 6 - 1, 6
Race 7 - 6, 7, 8
Race 8 - 3, 1, 8
$20 for 37.03%
