It will be less than two weeks until the semi-finals of the TAB Million Dollar Chase, so it’s hardly surprising that Saturday’s Wentworth Park meeting is stacked with talented sprinters headed that way.
A dozen runners who have already qualified for the October 11 semi-finals will have a run at Wentworth Park on Saturday, among them series’ favourite and cult hero Feral Franky, and boom Victorian sprinter Shima Shine.
Leading Victorian trainer Andrea Dailly is bringing another 11 runners apart from Shima Shine who won the Bulli Regional Final to qualify for the semi-finals, several who are having a look at Wentworth Park before the City Qualifiers to be held on October 5, the last chance for dogs to get into the semi-finals.
The highly promising Jaro Bale from the Dailly kennel, who took out the Richmond Regional Final last Friday in stunning fashion, clocking a very slick 30.11s, will also take his first look at the Glebe circuit.
Feral Franky has not raced since being pipped by Lucy’s Milo in the Speed Star at Sandown on September 15, but trainer Jack Smith said his star has done well since the run.
“That was always the plan to give him a run this week leading into the semi-finals,” Smith said.
“Everything is going well, Everything is going to plan, now we’ll just see how he goes Saturday and go from there.
“In the Speed Star we just gave him (Lucy’s Milo) too much start off the mat and he’s a very fast dog and Trying to go around those dogs is not easy and he was just too good on the night, but I wasn’t disappointed.”
Feral Franky has drawn box two and will clash with fellow semi-finalists Kraken Spike and Buck’s Future, as well as in-form sprinters Cawborne Marty, Canya Star and Blue Moon Rising.
Lucy’s Milo will also head to Wenty for a start with an eye on the following Saturday’s qualifiers having missed a spot in the Regional Final at Wagga Wagga from the heats last Friday.
Smith is also bringing Solar Sky - who qualified for the semis with a placing behind Good Odds Harada at Bathurst - to Wentworth Park on Saturday “Trying to pinch a fifth grade with her.”
Nowra Regional Final winner Banjo Tifia, who was a finalist in the Golden Easter Egg back in April, is also racing at Wentworth Park on Saturday.
While the sprinters will take center stage with the pointy end of the TAB Million Dollar Chase looming, there is also a quality stayers’ event at Wentworth Park on Saturday, with promising stayer Just Terms, a winner of her past six starts, and Queensland stayer Radar Gun who has won her past four, clashing with quality stayer Kanzan and the up and coming pair, Dreamin’ Is Free and Mrs Emgrand.
An important announcement for the connection of stayers was made yesterday with the closing time for nominations for the Group 1 Sydney Cup heats at Wentworth Park, being moved from Tuesday October 8, to Friday October 4 at 12pm.
The move has been made to allow for the Wentworth Park October 11 meeting which will contain the eight semi-finals of the TAB Million Dollar Chase, plus the heats of the Sydney Cup, to be drawn over the long weekend, on Sunday October 6.
