Nangar Gold was clearly second fastest qualifier while kennelmate and litter brother Nangar Ridge was by far the slowest but trainer Dennis Barnes considers his promising duo have equal ability.
Nangar Gold, who won her heat at Wentworth Park on June 17 in 30.03s, has box four in Saturday night's $10,000 to the winner final of the Ladbrokes Magic Maiden at headquarters.
Nangar Ridge, who missed the jump and was hampered crossing to the rails after drawing box seven in his heat, has drawn ideally in box one.
In his heat Nangar Ridge was beaten two lengths into second place by Ritza Rachelle, who also found trouble from her wide box eight draw before winning in 30.57s.
The Joe Scerri-trained Ritza Rachelle has drawn well in box two in Saturday's final while fastest qualifier Vamos Penny, who led throughout for trainer Kerry Drynan in 29.95s, has drawn three.
When I asked Dennis Barnes whether Nangar Gold was the quicker of his pair, as heat times would indicate, he said: "There is nothing between them.
"Nangar Gold is probably a tenth of a second faster in terms of early speed but Nangar Ridge is stronger.
"If I trialled them against each other there would be nothing in it, but maybe 'two out' Nangar Ridge might run his sister down.''
Vamos Penny's trainer Kerry Drynan is happy with her greyhound's box three draw.
"Vamos Penny is drawn inside Nangar Gold, who was second to her in heat times, so that is a plus,'' Drynan said.
"Nangar Ridge's run in the heats was good so he is likely to improve after coming up with box one.
"It seems to be a pretty even field and a lot will depend on how they all jump.''
Drynan's promising stayer Pearl Of Tahiti takes on John Finn's pair Blue Moon Rising and Really Unreal in Saturday night's Thank You Ladbrokes Stayers Stakes over 720m.
Pearl Of Tahiti made an impressive 720m debut at Wentworth Park on June 13, finishing powerfully to win by nearly seven lengths in a nippy 42.38s.
She followed that was an even more eye-catching performance over 600m at Gosford on Tuesday night when she won easily in 34.69s, just .48s outside champion stayer Space Star's track record established six years ago.
Pearl Of Tahiti would have gone faster had she not been hampered by a wide runner in the early stages.
"I was rapt in how strongly Pearl Of Tahiti got to the line at Wenty and again at Gosford,'' Drynan said.
"I have never trained a stayer but I must admit I am pretty excited about this bitch.''
Pearl Of Tahiti's clash with the mighty all-distance performer Blue Moon Rising is among the anticipated highlights of Saturday's card.
Lack of suitable 720m races has forced trainer John Finn to race Blue Moon Rising over 520m at Wentworth Park in recent weeks, but the remarkably versatile dog has won two of his past three shorter distance starts.
Blue Moon Rising boasts a personal best Wentworth Park 720m time of 41.65s while the up-and-coming youngster Pearl Of Tahiti's 42.38s is second quickest long distance figures among Saturday's top grade staying lineup.
Saturday's $10,000 to the winner Ladbrokes Thank You Owners Final brings together an outstanding lineup of fifth graders, with Xerri and I'm Zarr Rock, who ran the quinella in a slick 29.62 heat last week, exiting boxes four and seven respectively.
Reg Gardoll, trainer of I'm Zarr Rock, said: "My dog is well boxed and I was really pleased the way he put it to Xerri in last week's heat and took ground off him in the run home.
"I'm hoping Xerri will give I'm Zarr Rock a good cart across to the first turn because my bloke is very strong, is improving all the time, and is suitably positioned out wide.''
While Zipping Zeek and Ritza Coen posted quicker heat times than Xerri, their early sectional figures were not as quick as the Darryl Thomas-trained dog's 5.46s and 13.72s.
Zipping Sheldon won four races in succession at the provincials before a strong finishing fourth at his Wentworth Park debut last Saturday and trainer Marty Hallinan gives the dog a good chance of breaking through in this week's Thank You Health Workers Stakes, 520m.
"Zipping Sheldon just needs to be left alone in the early stages,'' Hallinan said.
"If they give him room to get balanced he can get to the line really strongly, and in a trial I gave him at Wenty before last Saturday's race he ran home in 11.60s, which is outstanding.
