Plumb Ready To Win Again At Wenty

By Jeff Collerson
Plumb clocked a moderate 30.44 in his sole Wentworth Park win last month but ran the race of his life to dead-heat at Bulli on Tuesday and looks poised to notch his second city win on Saturday night.

Plumb has box six in the Ladbrokes Switch Stakes, a 520m fifth grade, and while his time was mediocre in his October 21 win, he defeated Rampant Jimmy, an impressive winner at headquarters on Wednesday night.

In Tuesday's Bulli 400m race Plumb was never out of trouble but finished determinedly to dead-heat for first in the slick time of 22.64.


Drink Beer was an unplaced favourite at Wentworth Park on November 18 but is set to turn that defeat around by taking out Saturday night's 520m Ladbrokes Back Yourself fifth grade.

"He had box one when he finished fifth at his last start and he hates inside boxes,'' trainer Michelle Sultana said.

"Drink Beer has box five on Saturday but I like him drawn in the centre of the track and he has a vacant box outside him which is a help.

"He is feeling really well and should run a good race, especially if he can get his own way in the early stages.''

Do You Dig, who won Drink Beer's November 18 race, has changed ownership and kennels but remains on track to go close to winning Saturday night's The Key11YD Cup, a 520m fourth and fifth grade.

Do You Dig raced wide but led throughout for country owner-trainer Trent Anderson at his Wentworth Park debut on November 18, posting fast splits of 5.46 and 13.90 before covering the 520m in 30.30.

The dog is now trained by Caroline Hughes, whose partner Glen McKinley said: "Do You Dig was advertised for sale after his Wenty win so we bought him for what we considered a reasonable five figure sum.

"Trent Anderson told me that when Do You Dig won at Wenty he had not been trialled there, so it was a good effort to win without having previously seen the track.

"Do You Dig seemed to have settled in well in his surroundings but to make sure we took him back to Wenty on Tuesday and gave him a box-to-box trial and he went very nicely.

"I have had a good opinion of this dog since I saw him chase home Good Odds Harada over 450m at Bathurst in September.''

Do You Dig looks ideally positioned in box eight on Saturday but faces strong opposition from Dawn Juan (box one), Zest Of Excel (four), Fast Eddie Cargo (five) and Burst The Seam (seven).

Hampshire, who had box four when she opened her Wentworth Park 720m account on November 21, has drawn perfectly in box one in Saturday's Happy 60th Birthday Duke Stakes.

Before that 42.65 win, when she came from fourth at the pen and third on the back straight, Hampshire had been placed in three of six Wentworth Park 720m appearances.

"Saturday's race is slightly harder because Hampshire is up against Really Unreal, but I'm happy with box one and the small field of six will suit my bitch,'' trainer Justin King said.

"Hampshire will be hard to beat as long as she keeps out of trouble at the first turn and near the 520m starting boxes.

"That's where she has been brought unstuck previously.

"She pulled up beautifully after her last start win and is spot on heading into Saturday night's race.''

Best bet looms as Ritza Tommy, who was a luckless strong finishing fourth at Wentworth Park on Wednesday and who has box two in the 520m GBOTA Welcome Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.

Ritza Tommy, who has won two of five Wentworth Park races for trainer Mark Gatt, had box four on Wednesday but is drawn more suitably closer to the rails on Saturday.

Best Bet Ritza Tommy (race 1)

Best Value Plumb (race 2)

Quaddie race 5 - 3, 8, 6

Race 6 - 1, 7, 5

Race 7 - 3, 4, 1

Race 8 - 5, 1

$20 for 37.03%