Ultimate Speed's career got off to an ignominious start when he was suspended for failing to Chase keenly but local knowledge and an ideal draw give him a great chance of springing a surprise in Saturday night's Wagga regional final of the TAB Million Dollar Chase.
Now trained by Wagga truck driver Brian Smith, Ultimate Speed, who won his 525m heat on Friday in 30.04, has drawn box one.
Victoria's Deliver, who broke Good Odds Buddy's track record in posting 29.71 in his heat, has box three.
"It is a very hard race and Ultimate Speed is probably going to have to find a length or so on his heat performance to win,'' trainer Smith said.
"But there's no doubt he has got his right box and Wagga is his local track.
"His two best courses are Wagga and Wentworth Park, so hopefully I can get him into the Chase semi-finals there on October 11.
"Ultimate Speed is owned by Sonia and Craig Davis, who live out near Swan Hill.
"They sent me this dog after he had raced twice and picked up a failing to Chase ticket in one of those runs.
"But he was immature, just 18 months of age, and even now is just two years old.
"Providing nothing goes wrong with Ultimate Speed he could be something really special in six months' time.''
Smith is not afraid to travel and recently made two 20 hour round trips to Adelaide with Ultimate Speed in pursuit of the SA Derby.
"I trialled him at Angle Park and then he finished third in his Derby heat there earlier this month but I don't think the track suited him,'' Smith said.
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JUST Terms notched her fifth long-distance win in as many appearances when she came from the rear of the field to win over 717m at Richmond on Friday night, a victory trainer Jodie Lord ranks as her bitch's best yet.
"When another dog took Just Terms off the track I thought she was gone,'' Lord said.
"I know she is good but I have not seen her come from so far back in any of her races and still win.
"Just Terms really knows how to get through a field which is a big asset.
"She keeps amazing me because most stayers put in an ordinary run at their second or third long-distance test, but she has continued to win.
"I will nominate Just Terms for a 720m race at Wentworth Park on Saturday night and then prepare her for the heats of the group 1 Sydney Cup there on October 11.''
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SHIMA Shine, the Andrea Dailly-trained Victorian speedster who defeated local hero Pindari Express to win the Bulli regional final of the Million Dollar Chase on September 14, set Wentworth Park alight in his first trial on the track on Saturday night.
A winner of seven from nine starts over distances up to 472m, Shima Shine (pictured) stepped out over the 520m Million Dollar Chase trip for the first time and covered the distance in an outstanding 29.81sec.
Shima Shine recorded particularly brilliant sectional figures of 5.42, 13.76 and 17.88 before understandably fading slightly near the finish to post an overall time which was still just .03sec outside the fastest time of the race meeting, recorded by Kraken Spike.
