"I just hope it is not a case of deja vu with Black Forge,'' remarked trainer Darren Sultana after his brilliant sprinter drew box eight in this Friday night's group 2 Sires On Ice Black Top final at LADBROKES GARDENS.
Black Forge (pictured) had box eight when he took the lead at the catching pen to win his heat last Friday in 29.61sec.
The dog had won his 2018 Black Top heat in 29.36 but after drawing box eight in the final, suffered an injury in his kennel a few days before the race and had to be scratched.
Coincidentally, Black Forge is again scheduled to wear the pink rug in this year's final, and while his heat time was not quite as quick as the figures he posted last year, Sultana believes he can go a bit faster next Friday.
"He should strip a bit fitter in the final and I am very happy to see him in box eight,'' Sultana said.
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FASTEST heat winner, the Jason Mackay-trained Aston Duke, will start favourite for the Black Top after coming up with box one.
A veteran of 73 races, Aston Duke led throughout to win his heat in 29.37, his 25th success.
With her father in Perth to accept the Run of the Year award for Zipping Bailey, 14-year-old April Mackay was in charge of Aston Duke and the rest of the team last Friday.
"I had no qualms about leaving April to look after the dogs and she did us proud,'' Jason Mackay said.
"When he won on Friday Aston Duke was having his first start since breaking his tail, an injury that finished up needing around six inches to be lopped off.
"He usually improves with a race under his belt so he is looking good for the Black Top final.''
Good Odds Buddy, a litter brother and kennelmate of National Sprint Championship finalist Good Odds Harada, ran down Double Back to score in 29.50 while Sheba's Dream overtook Eye Rock to qualify in 29.64.
Box draw for the $40,000 to the winner final is 1 Aston Duke 2 Good Odds Buddy 3 Eye Rock 4 Mystic Riot 5 Bit Flash 6 Double Back 7 Sheba's Dream 8 Black Forge with reserves Jamella Jet and Nangar Kash.
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OWEN Langley has almost always had fast beginners in his kennel so was relieved when Poacher, previously renowned for being tardy early, came out running and led throughout at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night.
Still only 22 months old, Poacher flew out from box six to take out a 520m fifth grade in 29.92, well inside his previous personal best Wenty time of 30.11.
"I have been spoiled by training a lot of quick beginners so Poacher has been a bit frustrating, because one night when he did lead at Wenty he only ran 5.65 for the first split,'' Langley said after Wednesday's race.
"He clocked 5.54 tonight so he has found a tenth which could be due to having a thyroid problem remedied.
"Poacher began his career early and he won his maiden at Richmond at 17 months of age, and was just over 18 months old when he won in 30.11 at Wentworth Park.
"He had box six tonight but is better suited drawn close to the rails, because he only just managed to clear the dog in box two at they went into the first turn.''
Langley is among the sport's most under-rated trainers and while he has had a lean trot in recent times, he prepared crack stayer Nimuay, who won 15 of 38 races, among them the group 1 Association Cup in 2002, and Over Flo, whose 15 wins from 34 starts included the 2005 Group 1 Peter Mosman Classic.
Nimbastic arrived in Langley's kennels from Queensland with an average reputation but under the Berkshire Park trainer's care she won 12 races at Wentworth Park between 2008 and 2010, consistently beginning brilliantly and leading all the way.
More recently Langley turned Aisle Tifi, bought by her owner as a brood bitch, into a "lid pinger'' who won 15 races between 2015 and 2017 and reached top grade at Wentworth Park.
