Unreal Ethics to be a Wenty Hit not a Miss

By Jeff Collerson
Unreal Ethics, described by his trainer as a "hit or miss'' beginner, should only need to leave the boxes cleanly to notch his eighth win in 17 starts in Saturday night's second heat of the Ladbrokes Thank You Owners Stakes. 

The David Smith-trained dog has a "dream'' draw as he will exit box one, while Knight's Page, box two, is a wide runner. 

Unreal Ethics clocked his personal best Wentworth Park time when he jumped smartly from box three and led throughout at Wentworth Park last Saturday in a fast 29.90, posting a handy first split of 5.49 and a very quick 13.87 second section. 

"He was an awful beginner early in his career but thanks to a lot of box work he is capable of nailing the start like he did last week, although he is still definitely a hit or miss beginner,'' Smith said. 

"Being in an odd numbered box on Saturday should help because he usually gets away better from those draws and after his win last week I had him checked out and he is fit as a fiddle.'' 


Unison, who has bloomed since joining the Michelle Sultana kennels, will be out to take his record to eight wins and two seconds from 10 races when he contests Saturday night's fifth heat of the 520m Ladbrokes Thank You Owners Stakes. 

Unison has drawn box seven but while he is expected to handle the wide draw, Sultana concedes her dog will need to hold out noted early pace greyhound Fire On Ice, who has box eight. 

"He has handled wide draws at Bulli and I think Unison will run straight from the boxes to the first corner,'' Sultana said. 

"Although he has not raced at Wentworth Park I slipped him from the catching pen there on Tuesday night and he flew.'' 

Beau Herrera led all the way to easily defeat Aston Zodiac in a sizzling 29.72 at Wentworth Park last Saturday and they clash again in Saturday night's seventh heat of the Ladbrokes Thank You Owners Stakes. 

This time though Aston Zodiac's trainer Geoff Grimwood is hoping his greyhound's switch from box seven last Saturday to the rails box this week could produce a different result. 

Beau Herrera, who had box two last Saturday, has drawn three this time. 

"I'm hoping from box one Aston Zodiac can be the pacemaker this week and get a break on Beau Herrera,'' Grimwood said. 

"That dog is going to be hard to beat but Aston Zodiac could have been slightly under-done last Saturday and should be all the better for last Saturday's race. 

"My greyhound got hurt at The Gardens on May 15 and then found trouble from box five on the bend start over 400m there on May 30. 

"Before last week's Wenty race she had just one trial so should be capable of running an improved race this week.'' 


Ritza Donald, who has won four of six Wentworth Park races, will start from his favourite draw, box one, in Saturday's first heat of the 520m Ladbrokes Thank You Trainers Stakes. 

Trained by Jodie Lord for owner Frank Gatt, Ritza Donald recorded a fast 29.75 in his all-the-way win from box five at Wentworth Park last week and with three wins from four appearances wearing the red rug, will be favoured to score again. 

A long-priced danger could be Furious Not Fast, a fast finishing third to Poacher and Ebby Jet Power in 29.87 in a slightly tougher race at Wentworth Park last week. 

Trainer Mark Ballantine said: "Furious Not Fast had been trialling the place down at Richmond so I was not surprised she ran so well last week. 

"She has box four on Saturday but having an empty box on her outside should help because she steps to the right at the start.'' 

Crowd favourite Poacher will be seeking his 12th Wentworth Park win when he starts from box four in heat two of the Ladbrokes Trainers Stakes. 

"He pulled up perfectly after his win last week and although he has drawn four he has the pace to get across to the rails and if he finds the fence he will be hard to toss,'' trainer Owen Langley said. 

Best Bet Unreal Ethics (race 2) 

Best Value Poacher (race 9) 

Quaddie race 5 - 7, 8, 1 

Race 6 - 3, 1 

Race 7 - 1, 3, 5 

Race 8 - 1, 4, 7 

$20 for 37.03%