Australia’s undisputed champion stayer Tornado Tears, owned in NSW but trained in Victoria by Rob Britton, returns to Wentworth Park for Friday night's second Heat of the Group 1 Sydney Cup.
Three 720m Cup Heats make a great sidelight to the eight "sudden death'' semi-finals of the TAB Million Dollar Chase on Friday's richly endowed card.
Tornado Tears has won 29 of 47 races and earned $755,220 in stakes, with his most recent success being in a Heat of the group 3 Top Cat Video Cup over 725m at The Meadows on September 21.
Tornado Tears stopped the clock at a near record 42.01 in that race but a week later could manage to finish only fifth in the final, won by She Will Bloom in 42.57.
Rob Britton says Tornado Tears is ready to go on Friday but while he is reluctant to declare him a safe bet, he said: "I wouldn't want to be tipping anything to beat him.
"Tornado Tears has a second on his rivals but he can find ways to get beaten.
"Despite that he has won five of his past eight starts so he is going pretty well.
"I just hope he jumps cleanly on Friday because he has box four and there is a bit of early pace around him with the greyhounds in boxes three and six.''
Tornado Tears' toughest opponent looms as She Will Bloom, who lowered his colours in the Top Cat Video Cup final.
She Will Bloom, who is trained by Britton's close friend Brendan Pursell, has box one.
Pursell, who trains on the same property as Britton, for whom he formerly worked, brought She Will Bloom to Wentworth Park for her first NSW race last week and she flashed home to finish second, beaten a length by Just Terms.
She Will Bloom came from fourth on the back straight and cut Sydney's top group race stayer Blue Moon Rising out of second prizemoney in the run home.
Britton concedes She Will Bloom will be a tough nut to crack on Friday.
"Last Saturday's race was She Will Bloom's first look at Wentworth Park so she should have some improvement in her.
"She is a relative newcomer to long-distance racing and she is now learning what it is all about.''
Heat one of the Cup features the return match between Just Terms, who has won four of five Wentworth Park 720m races, and Blue Moon Rising, chasing his seventh long-distance victory at headquarters.
Blue Moon Rising made the pace in a 720m event at Wentworth Park last week but after leading to the home turn, faded in the straight with Just Terms coming from second on the bend to win by a length from She Will Bloom.
Melinda Finn, whose husband John trains Blue Moon Rising, believes their greyhound will strip fitter this week.
"Last Saturday's race was Blue Moon Rising's first 720m start since August 8 and although he has been sprinting really well, we were concerned he could be a little under-done last week,'' Finn said.
"The hard run did not flatten him at all and he is ready to run a big race on Friday night.''
Third Heat of the Sydney Cup is more open with Sandown Cup winner Rajasthan clashing with fellow Victorians Boom Down, Blazing Cartier and Blue Shadows, along with NEW ZEALAND's top stayer Dyna Weslyn.
Friday night's safest bet should be the Jason Mackay-trained Flying Bazza, who has drawn ideally in box one in the eighth semi-final of the Million Dollar Chase.
Flying Bazza is not as fast starter but has drawn arguably the weakest semi and the dogs in boxes two and three, Banjo Tifia and Nangar Gift, are quick early so should clear him in the run to the first turn and give him an uninterrupted passage.
For value Awesome Catch, who has box three in the seventh semi, makes a lot of appeal.
Awesome Catch has been flying for in-form Victorian trainer Rob Camilleri and trialled a brilliant 29.71 at WP on September 28, running home in a phenomenal 11.52sec.
Best Bet Flying Bazza (race 11)
Best Value Awesome Catch (race 10)
Quaddie race 5 - 4, 3, 1
Race 6 - 7, 6
Race 7 - 1, 6, 8
Race 8 - 1, 6, 4
$20 for 37.03%
