She concedes her greyhound On The Rocks has to "find several lengths'' but trainer Donna Campbell is hoping last Sunday's experience on the Sandown track and the bonus of exiting box one will put Sydney's hope in the finish of Thursday night's group 2 Laurels Classic final.
On The Rocks was having her first look at the track when the normally brilliant beginner dwelt at the start from box four in her heat, before railing to the lead leaving the catching pen.
She hung on gamely to win in 29.81 while fastest qualifier Immunity, who has drawn box two in the final, recorded 29.18 for the 515m.
"We stayed in Victoria after the heats because with only a four day turnaround it wasn't worth driving home and coming back,'' Campbell said.
"It's very hot down here but fortunately I have found a motel which allows On The Rocks to stay in the unit with me, and she spent Wednesday, which was particularly warm, sprawled out on the bed.
"Surprisingly when they brought us out for her Laurels heat we did not parade down the home straight to the starting boxes so On The Rocks did not even get a chance to see the track.
"I took her back to Sandown yesterday (Wednesday) morning and let her watch a few trials so I hope that will help her.
"I really think On The Rocks was totally bamboozled by every thing that was happening last Sunday so hopefully she will improve, but Immunity is going to be awfully hard to beat.''
On The Rocks, who has led throughout in 29.84 and 29.75 in her two Wentworth Park 520m wins, goes into the Laurels boasting a record of 12 wins from 15 starts.
If she can win the Laurels, first held in 1964, On The Rocks will emulate the performance of the champion NSW bitch Paua To Burn, who won the classic in 29.58 in 2004.
Match races are the talk of the sport at present and among the most thrilling was at Harold Park on January 23, 1971, when Shapely Escort, later awarded the Greyhound of the Year title, clashed with the 1970 Greyhound of the Year Tara Flash.
The GBOTA provided $1000 on a winner-take-all basis but the real interest was in the $10,000 side wager promoted by Tara Flash's trainer Ray Pringle.
Because Shapely Escort's trainer John Drady, a policeman, was not a big punter, leading bookmaker, Neville Mogler, took up the side bet on his behalf.
Shapely Escort led by three lengths in the middle stages before defeating Tara Flash by just over a length in a sizzling 26.30 for the 457m.
Mogler presented Drady with a $2000 "bonus'' after his greyhound held off her fast finishing opponent.
