Sydney Cup Final A Tantalising Support To MDC Final

Here's Tears boasts a far better record from box eight than from the rails but trainer Robert Britton insists he has no regrets about his dog drawing the inside trap in Friday night's $100,000 to the winner group one Sydney Cup at Wentworth Park.

From box eight Here's Tears has won five of nine appearances while he has been successful in just one from four races while wearing the red rug.

"But in a big final like this, give me box one any day,'' Britton said.

"Here's Tears does not like being crowded by another dog on his outside but he does have genuine early pace.

"So from box one he has a great chance of going straight to the front and if Here's Tears leads around the first turn he is going to lead for a long way.''

Here's Tears was having his first Wentworth Park 720m test when run down by the enigmatic Good Juan on October 3 but showed the benefit of that experience by heading El Rapido and hitting the front going through the catching pen to win his heat.

Here's Tears covered the 720m in 42.16 with kennelmate and older brother Tornado Tears leading, being headed, then coming again to win his heat in 42.18.

After the heats Here's Tears returned with NSW trainer CHRIS Perry to owner-breeder Michael Ivers kennels, while Tornado Tears headed back to Britton's Victorian establishment.

"I was happy for Here's Tears to stay in NSW with CHRIS and Michael but because Tornado Tears is four-and-a-half years old, I wanted him back at my place to prepare for the Cup final,'' Britton said.

Here's Tears defeated pre-post Cup favourite Sunset Bourbski by three-and-a-half lengths in his heat, but Britton still rates that greyhound the one to beat in the final.

Rockstar Beav, trained in Victoria by Andrea Dailly for Sydneysiders Shaun Evans and CHRIS Nutt, was the other heat winner, stopping the clock at 42.49 after leading throughout.

Rockstar Beav had contested Wentworth Park 520m races when trained by Nutt and Evans in Sydney, but as he had not been tried over the Wenty 720m journey he could be the improver in the Cup final.

"I was rapt that he won his heat because Rockstar Beav had been disappointing over 715m at Sandown and 725m at The Meadows in August,'' Nutt said.

"Andrea Dailly then gave him a let-up and he was placed in one of three 525m sprints at The Meadows leading up to the Cup heat.

"So for him to go straight into a 720m race off a short distance preparation and win a Sydney Cup heat was a good effort.

"My only worry is that heat run didn't take too much out of him, that it wasn't a gut-buster for him.

"But Rockstar Beav is a seasoned dog so he should be fine.''

The laid-back Nutt was not even aware the Cup was worth $100,000 to the winner, adding: "Wow, I thought it was pretty good to collect $6500 in last Friday's heat because you don't often earn that sort of money in a four-dog field.''

Best of the NSW-trained finalists looks to be Tap Out Sniper, who was run down by Tornado Tears in his heat after wresting the lead from that dog in the middle stages.

"I was praying for box one on Friday night because Tap Out Sniper is desperate for the inside so box three is pretty good,'' trainer Rod Metselaar said.

"Tap Out Sniper flew around Richmond over 535m a few weeks ago, trialling 30.50, and that's when I decided to tackle this race with him.

"He is only ordinary early so he needs a bit of room to move in the run to the first turn but if he can find the fence quickly I expect him to run a good race.''