Curt Lee's 30.14s may have been slowest of the eight TAB Million Dollar Chase semi-final winning times, but trainer Glenn Rounds remains quietly confident his dog can win on Friday night.
Usually a "lid pinger'' Curt Lee dwelt at the start from box three in his semi and was on the rails, in third position, heading towards the first bend.
He managed to find a clear run when Slingshot Hammer, in box one, shifted off the fence and was able to charge to the lead.
Curt Lee then had a head and head battle with Galaxy Banner before prevailing to score by a half length.
Before the box draw for the final Rounds said: "Curt Lee is better from boxes two, four, six or eight, because when he goes into an odd numbered draw, as he did in his semi-final, he is more inclined to dwell at the start.
"That's because he settles himself down in the boxes and he definitely come out quicker when he is placed in an even numbered box and then the race starts quickly.''
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SPARE a thought for Barry Gibbons, owner-trainer of Galaxy Banner, who missed reaching the Million Dollar final by only a half length.
Galaxy Banner led throughout in 29.89 after drawing box one at Wentworth Park on October 5 but went under in a close finish in 30.14s in her Chase semi.
Swap boxes with Curt Lee in that race and Galaxy Banner probably wins, a thought which did not escape Gibbons.
"Galaxy Banner is so intent on finding the rails that when I was standing with her behind box six just before the start of her Million Dollar Chase semi, she was pulling me over towards the boxes nearer the inside,'' Gibbons said.
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Noel Massina was rewarded for his persistence and patience when his dog Bound To Succeed took out the Garrards Horse & Hound Maiden final at Coonamble last Monday.
Massina has been making the 24 hours round trip from his home at Golden Square, a suburb of Bendigo, to Coonamble for each of the past 22 years.
The 73-year-old retired shearer said: "Bound To Succeed is usually a brilliant beginner but bombed the start in his Horse & Hound heat so took 17.95 to cover the 302m and win.
"Because of his slow time he was reserve for the final but gained a start via a scratching before jumping away in his customary quick fashion to win in 17.43.''
Massina loves country racing and has also been a regular at Grafton's July winter carnival over several decades.
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IF Dave Carlson seemed even more excitable than his usual bubbly self when compering Friday night's TAB Million Dollar Chase semi-finals at Wentworth Park, an earlier race at Ipswich probably had something to do with it.
Carlson landed his first winner as an owner, being a partner in promising sprinter Jazz Button, who collected $1600 prizemoney winning a 288m maiden race at Ipswich.
Trained in Queensland by former Dubbo conditioner Brian Baker, Hay Button had finished second in each of three previous starts so was sent out a raging out $1.60 favourite for her initial victory.
Hay Button scampered over the short trip in 16.84s, just .12s outside the track record time.
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HISTORY will repeat itself if Barbaresco can take out Friday night's Young Star Classic final on TAB Million Dollar Chase night at Wentworth Park.
Barbaresco, backed from $19 to $6 before narrowly running Knight's Page down to win his heat, is trained by Darryl Thomas but is owned by Diane Stollery, who mother-in-law, the late Enid Stollery, was a highly successful owner-trainer.
City Gambler, owned and trained by Enid, took out the 1991 Young Star Classic final at Wentworth Park.
City Gambler's Classic win was the last held before the Wentworth Park surface was converted from grass to loam.
