Lock Master handled box eight perfectly in setting the time standard in last Wednesday's heats of the group 3 Ladbrokes Magic Maiden but trainer Peter Lagogiane is equally happy seeing his exciting youngster drawn on the rails in tonight's first semi-final at Wentworth Park.
Last week Lock Master began only fairly from box eight but swept down the outside of the field to be second at the first turn and grabbing the lead going through the catching pen.
Lock Master, who was having his first race, then came away to win by four lengths, covering the 520m in 30.07, which was .22sec faster than the next best figures, recorded by Frustrated Fears.
"Before his heat win Lock Master had trialled 29.70 at Wentworth Park and when he ran that time he came out of box one,'' Lagogiane said.
"So there is no reason why he shouldn't go just as well from box one in his semi-final.''
Lagogiane also has Modern Talking in box six in the fourth semi-final, but conceded he was disappointed with her third placing to Analysing in 30.32 in a heat last week.
"I was very disappointed with that run because Modern Talking is a lot better than that,'' Lagogiane said.
"She had box three but when she got pressure from her outside she wanted to push off the track going to the first turn.
"But that experience should do her the world of good.''
Modern Talking faces a tough test against Aston Barak, who was desperately unlucky when third, from box two, in his heat, beaten eight lengths in a slow 30.60.
Aston Barak was backed as if unbeatable on the strength of reportedly brilliant trials but lost all chance when skittled by a wide runner while disputing the lead at the first turn.
Aston Barak has box eight tonight and with keen railer All About Life boxed in seven, looks to have a suitable draw.
Slowest heat winner Bandit Ned could be the big time improver from box seven in the third semi-final.
In his heat Bandit Ned was second early, took the lead on the back straight, was headed near the home turn, but came again to win from box seven in a tardy 30.83.
Trainer Andy Lord said: "Before the heats Bandit Ned had five or six trials and had gone flawlessly every time.
"In his final hit-out before last week he beat my wife JODIE's greyhound Second Exit, a top grader at Wentworth Park and a winner of 20 races, by six lengths.
"Bandit Ned certainly ran his race in patches last week but I know he has the ability to go a lot quicker as long as he puts his mind to it.''
Most open semi-final looms as the second, where Irinka Molly is likely to benefit by moving from box four in her heat to box two tonight.
The Jack Smith-trained Irinka Molly came from sixth on the back straight to finish third to Frustrated Tears in her heat but has a better draw this time, especially with Charlotte Byrde, who ran wide from box three last week, wearing the white rug again.
Pixie Zesta will be on trial for a start in next Wednesday night's group 3 New Sensation when she makes her Wentworth Park debut in tonight's eighth event, a 520m fifth grade.
Pixie Zesta has won five of six provincial starts and has won her past two starts over 520m at Nowra from box two.
"She will handle her wide draw well,'' predicted Geoff Grimwood, whose wife Leanne trains the greyhound.
"Pixie Zesta runs straight from any box but she likes to use a bit of the track so being drawn out there is fine.
"Although she has not been out of the 520m boxes at Wenty, Pixie Zesta has had a couple of post-to-post hand-slips there so she knows her way around the track.''
