Connie's Boy was runner-up in the fastest heat of the Dubbo Million Dollar Chase last Sunday night but moving from box eight to box one in Saturday's regional final could enable him to go one better.
Trained by Peter Honnery at Clarence Town, in the Hunter Valley, Connie's Boy was checked at the first turn in Annabel Keeping's heat before finishing strongly into second place.
"That 516m race was Connie's Boy's first hit-out over that distance since July so he should be fitter on Saturday,'' Honnery said.
"He had been sidelined with a virus and since he returned to racing he had only been contesting 400m events.
"Box one is certainly a good draw for him.
"I had intended taking Connie's Boy to Lismore for the Million Dollar Chase heats there on September 17 but after he finished second over 420m at that track early this month I decided Dubbo might be a better option.
"Dubbo was a long drive, it took my wife Connie and I five hours to get there and because of all the kangaroos nearby late at night we had to slow right down so it took six hours to get home.
"But if Connie's Boy can finish in the first four on Saturday and qualify for the semi-finals at Wentworth Park on October 11 it will be well worth it.''
Connie's Boy, a son of the Honnery family's former smart sprinter Karma Connie, won in dashing style at WP in June and has been lightly raced since.
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Zipping Bailey's trainer Jason MACKAY has warned racegoers not to expect "too much'' of the Golden Easter Egg winner when she resumes racing in tomorrow (Thursday's) first heat of the Maitland Million Dollar Chase.
Zipping Bailey (pictured) has box eight and is up against her kennelmate Flying Bazza, in box three.
MACKAY will launch the NSW career of Victorian ace Flynn, a new addition to his kennels, in heat one at Maitland.
"Zipping Bailey has not raced for over two months so is lacking match fitness,'' MACKAY said.
"And the 450m trip and the long straights at Maitland do not really suit her but we have to start somewhere, and the goal is getting her back to Wentworth Park for the Chase semis on October 11.
"Flying Bazza looks my best chance at Maitand because he has a good box three draw and I am very happy with the way he has been triailling.
"Ron Marsden's dog Hardaway Titan will probably lead Flying Bazza in the early stages but my dog should be capable of running him down in the straight.
"Flynn has not raced since June and has had a couple of little problems but is improving all the time and if he gets through to the Chase Maitland regional final he will be a better dog next week.''
