The quantity may be down but the quality is sky high for Saturday night's NSW heats of the Crocmedia National Sprint Championship with Feral Franky the only local star missing from the 12 strong line-up.
In heat one at Wentworth Park on Saturday night, Good Odds Buddy, fourth in last week's Group 1 Maturity Classic at The Meadows, has box seven, while Million Dollar Chase runner-up Jamella Jet (pictured) has drawn five with the highly talented Bogan Doonie in box one.
Good Odds Harada, a litter brother and kennelmate of Good Odds Buddy, will exit box eight in heat two where he opposes NSW's best female sprinter Sorry Scott in box one, Miley Nismo in two and the in-form Sunburnt Highway in box five.
Frank Hurst, trainer of Good Odds Buddy and Good Odds Harada, is happy with the wide draws for his duo.
"When they enter the straights they have always been inclined to get a couple of dogs off the rails so they give their rivals every chance to beat them,'' Hurst said.
"Good Odds Buddy collided with his brother Feral Franky in the early stages of the Maturity and while my dog could not have won, the interference cost him a place.
"He pulled up well and should be hard to beat, although I rate Bogan Doonie a tough opponent because she Chased my other dog Good Odds Harada all the way at Wenty last Saturday when she was having her first start in town this year.''
None of the dozen greyhounds contesting Saturday's Sprint Championship heats has posted faster time at Wentworth Park than Bogan Doonie, who has won only six from 26 races at headquarters but recorded 29.44 in November.
"Last year she was a real hit or miss beginner but fortunately she has been coming out smartly this preparation,'' trainer Neil Staines said.
"The rails draw is good although that does not matter too much as her chances hinge on how she behaves once I put her into the starting boxes.''
Jamella Jet finished third, from box eight, to Good Odds Harada and Bogan Doonie at Wentworth Park last Saturday but was hampered while attempting to reach the rails in the early stages.
Sorry Scott, like Jamella Jet trained by Andrew Crouch, will be all the rage after drawing box one in heat two.
Sorry Scott is a reliable beginner and has won six of 10 Wentworth Park starts, with a personal best time of 29.65, .08sec slower than Good Odds Harada's quickest effort.
Miley Nismo, in box two, can show brilliant early pace and could crowd Sorry Scott in the run to the first turn, giving Good Odds Harada a clear run down the outside of the field.
Good Odds Harada has won just one of five races from box eight but has a great record from wide alleys, having notched seven wins from a dozen appearances from boxes six and seven.
First four in each of Saturday night's heats will contest Thursday night's state final at Wentworth Park, where the winner will head to Perth to represent NSW in the group 1 final at Cannington on August 24.
Saturday night's NSW GBOTA 80th Anniversary Cup will be a 720m "dress rehearsal'' for Thursday night's NSW final of the National Distance Championship.
Once again siblings and kennelmates Blue Moon Rising (box one), Veloce Nero (two) and Poco Dorado (five) will dominate the betting.
At their most recent meeting, in the 720m Ladbrokes Monthly Medal Stakes at Wentworth Park on July 13, Blue Moon Rising came from box three to comfortably hold off the fast finishing Poco Dorado (one) with Veloce Nero, who made the early running from box six, a head away third.
On times Poco Dorado is the quickest, having clocked 41.68 at Wentworth Park in October, while Veloce Nero has recorded 41.80 and Blue Moon Rising's best is 41.90.
But Blue Moon Rising has won three of his six starts from box one and the draw could see him sent out favourite on Saturday.
Best Bet Ritza Millie (race 9)
Best Value Double Up Dee (race 7)
Quaddie race 5 - 7, 1, 8
Race 6 - 2, 6
Race 7 - 7, 5, 2
Race 8 - 5, 1, 2
$20 for 37.03%
