Nearly three weeks after a miraculous escape from serious injury in a car crash, boom greyhounds Jimmy Casey and Charlie Casey, along with their trainer Peter Carr, are back at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Jimmy Casey, who has won three from six Wentworth Park starts, has box six in the 520m Ladbrokes Multimaker Stakes, while Charlie Casey, his litter brother and winner of two from four at headquarters, will also wear the green rug in the 520m Ladbrokes Info Hub Stakes.
Carr and his greyhounds were lucky not to have been killed when he had to swerve off the road to dodge a kangaroo while returning from an unsuccessful tilt at the Wentworth Park Ladbrokes National Derby heats on January 25.
"The trailer containing the dogs copped the worst of it, especially the side where Charlie Casey was travelling,'' Carr said.
"He escaped during the smash and I weeped tears of joy when, after about 15 minutes, he emerged out of the dark, answering to his kennel name, Buzzy.
"Jimmy Casey was unscathed and while Charlie Casey tore some skin off his feet and received a couple of nicks they both finished up okay.
"I trialled Jimmy Casey at Bathurst last Friday and he clocked a smart 30.02sec for the 520m so is close to his best again.
"Charlie Casey this week had a trial over 400m at Dubbo and recorded a respectable 22.88sec.
"I rate Jimmy Casey my better prospect on Saturday because I think he is partial to a wide draw at Wenty.
"He doesn't like being boxed up on the fence but Charlie Casey would be better suited drawn near the rails so box six is not so good for him.''
Carr, whose kennels are at St Fillans, near MUDGEE, paid tribute to Dubbo trainer Charmaine Roberts who "came to his rescue'' after the accident with the loan of a car and a dog trailer.
Roberts could be rewarded for her generosity on Saturday night by taking out the final of the 520m Ladbrokes Cash In Series with Gai Keeping, who has box one.
Gai Keeping disputed the lead to the half-way mark before finishing second, beaten four lengths, by Family Spirit in her heat last Saturday night.
Charmaine Roberts' partner Shayne Stiff believes Gai Keeping will be much improved by last week's heat run.
"Although we’d rather like to see Gai Keeping drawn wide, like she was in her heat, box one could work out well in the final,'' Stiff said.
"Gai Keeping has only just returned from a seasonal spell and should strip a lot fitter on Saturday night than she did last week.''
Gai Keeping looks set to get a clear run to the first turn as Family Spirit, who has box two, is not a 'tight' railer while Swift Viper in box three, is a very wide runner.
Saturday's hottest favourite is likely to be the undefeated King Cratos, who has box one in the 520m WP On Facebook Stakes.
After winning his first three starts at Bulli, King Cratos has won each of two races at Wentworth Park in fast times of 29.89 and 29.85 after drawing boxes seven and eight.
Trainer Jason Magri said: "The move to box one should not worry him because from what I have seen the dogs drawn in boxes two and three are not fierce railers.
"I skipped Saturday night's 472m Bulli Gold Cup heats to run him at Wentworth Park as I did not want to bring him back in distance, with the 535m Richmond Derby series next month his mission.''
Best Bet King Cratos (race 6)
Best Value Jimmy Casey (race 3)
Quaddie race 5 - 1, 5, 7
Race 6 - 1, 3
Race 7 - 1, 7, 2
Race 8 - 6, 4, 3
$20 for 37.03%
