The Queen returns for her perfect dozen

By Jeff Collerson

Poco Dorado, the queen of Wentworth Park, returns on Saturday night in a bid to take her long-distance record at headquarters to 12 wins from 12 appearances.

The John Finn-trained champion stayer has box three in the 720m Ladbrokes Monthly Medal Stakes, where her rivals include her siblings and kennelmates Veloce Nero, Blue Moon Rising and Two Times Twice.

Poco Dorado, who has box three, has not started since winning a heat of the Summer Distance Plate at Wentworth Park on January 19.

Although she tore a pad off a foot in that race she still manage to defeat Queenslander Double Gee by five lengths.

Double Gee proved the form by running down Blue Moon Rising to win the group 2 Plate final a week later.

Poco Dorado is not only unbeaten in 11 races over the Wentworth Park 720m trip, but she has broken the 42sec barrier in eight of her past nine wins.

Her personal best Wentworth Park 720m time is 41.68, recorded in October, while she stopped the clock at 41.95 at her most recent outing.

"Although she has not raced for a month she should be fit enough to win,'' trainer John Finn's wife Melinda said.

"Poco Dorado has had a couple of trials so is ready to go.

"Because she has box one, Veloce Nero might be her toughest opponent on Saturday as Blue Moon Rising, who beat Veloce Nero last week, has box seven.

"And Two Times Twice, who has box six, could inconvenience Blue Moon Rising in the run to the first turn.''

Eye Rock made full use of box eight to win at Wentworth Park last Saturday night but trainer Warren Slade is happier with his dog's box one draw in this week's second race.

Eye Rock, whose 41 races have yielded 10 wins, 10 seconds and 10 thirds, will wear the red rug in the 520m Free-For-All.

Despite being last to leave the starting boxes last week, Eye Rock swept around his rivals to be third on the back straight, and after being second turning for home, stormed down the outside to win clearly in 30.12, his fastest Wentworth Park time.

"I have no doubt that if he ever comes out of the boxes smartly Eye Rock will break 30sec at Wenty,'' trainer Slade said.

"Even though five of his 10 wins have been from boxes seven and eight, I prefer Eye Rock drawn inside.

"He had a hard run last Saturday but you wouldn't have known it.

"When I got him out of his kennel on Sunday morning he was bouncing around so much I had a tough job getting a lead and collar on him!''

Saturday night's best bet looms as He's All Shine, who has drawn the rails trap in heat one of the Ladbrokes Cash In Stakes, 520m.

The Mark Gatt-trained greyhound notched his fourth Wentworth Park placing from his past five starts when a fast-finishing second to unbeaten boom youngster King Cratos in a similar race last Saturday.

King Cratos took the lead at the first turn and sped away with a huge lead in the middle stages, but He's All Shine rattled home to go under by only a half-length.

It was He's All Shine's best performance in recent weeks and with wide running Knockout Hero in box two, he should get the run of the race on Saturday.

Best Bet He's All Shine (race 2)

Best Value Eye Rock (race 8)

Quaddie race 5 - 1, 7, 5

Race 6 - 3, 1

Race 7 - 5, 1

Race 8 - 1, 2, 6

$20 for 55.55%