Blazing Cartier might be considered a wide runner but owner and former trainer Tom Rees was thrilled when she drew box one in Friday night's Ladbrokes Summer Distance Plate final at Wentworth Park.
Now trained in Victoria by Robert Britton, Blazing Cartier took the lead on the back straight to defeat Just Terms in her heat, covering the 720m in 42.25.
The evergreen rising four-year-old Blue Moon Rising won the other heat for trainer John Finn in 42.19.
"In a race of this calibre I wanted to see Blazing Cartier in box one,'' Rees said.
"I think she can improve in the final because she had a really long, tough day leading up to last Saturday night's Plate heat.
"She had to be up and out of bed by 3 am to get to Sydney so did well to recover so well and win.
"Her only recent average run was at Albion Park on January 2 when she finished sixth to Boom Down, but there were excuses for that failure.
"It was very humid that day in Brisbane and the heat really affected Blazing Cartier.''
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MY Mate Clarrie suffered a greenstick fracture in a leg last October so has done well to bounce back and qualify for Friday night's Ladbrokes National Derby final at Wentworth Park.
Trained by Troy Donaldson for businessman John Clout, My Mate Clarrie has drawn box six in the final, after showing wide draws hold no fears for him by winning his heat from box seven.
Having only his third start since his leg injury, My Mate Clarrie headed Federal Morgan at the first turn to bolt away in his heat, scoring by seven lengths in 29.96, his personal best Wentworth Park time.
The dog has been amazingly consistent, with his Derby heat success his 11th in 15 starts.
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Victorian trainer Jeff Galea believes his finalist Run Baba Run may help the Jason Mackay-trained Aston Maeve in the early stages of Friday night's Ladbrokes National Futurity.
Aston Maeve, who won her heat in 29.87, has box one, while Run Baba Run, who led throughout from the rails draw in 30.25, has drawn two.
"Run Baba Run tends to shift slightly away from the rails when she jumps so she will probably assist Aston Maeve to get a clear run,'' Galea said.
Galea, a motor mechanic who also constructs dog trailers, bred Run Baba Run and said he trains only for himself.
"Before Run Baba Run, the last greyhound I brought to Wentworth Park was Sisco Rage in 2015,'' Galea said.
"She was placed twice at Wenty but was a terrific performer, scoring 29 wins and 58 placings from 149 starts.''
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MISSING from the National Derby heats was Jason Mackay's boom youngster Castle Archer,
Castle Archer, who has not been out of a placing and boasts a record of 14 starts for nine wins, three seconds and two thirds, was a last start winner at Wentworth Park on January 11.
At his debut on the track a week earlier he had chased home Aston Sapporo, now among the favourites for Friday's Derby final.
Castle Archer suffered a minor injury during his last start win and will be out of action for "at least a month'' according to connections.
