Cop Magnet has a lot in his favour going into Saturday night's Ladbrokes Flight To The Phoenix final at Wentworth Park but trainer Andrew Bell concedes arch rival Good Odds Cash is a much quicker greyhound.
Cop Magnet, who led throughout from box four to win his semi-final last Saturday in 30.04, fastest time of the night, has drawn one.
Good Odds Cash, a certainty beaten in her semi-final when a length second to Aston Barak in 30.11, has box eight, the same draw she had last week.
Frank Hurst, whose wife Tracey trains Good Odds Cash, despaired when their outstanding young bitch drew the extreme outside in Saturday's final but Cop Magnet's trainer remains convinced she is the greyhound to beat.
"If Good Odds Cash gets the start right we can't beat her because she is all quality and is among the fastest bitches in Australia,'' Andrew Bell said.
"But if she misses the kick like she did in her semi-final Cop Magnet could be off and gone.
"He has won five of his seven races from box one and is drawn perfectly because the greyhounds drawn immediately on his outside aren't likely to come across and crowd him in the run to the first turn.
"Cop Magnet has been racing twice a week but I have kept him fresh since last Saturday.
"It wasn't worth risking a minor injury in a trial with such an important race coming up.
"But I have no concerns about his condition, he is extremely race fit, raring to go, and set to run 29.90 or 30.00 on Saturday night.
"Obviously I'm hoping there is some scrimmaging behind him which allows him to pinch a winning early break.''
While Frank Hurst believes it is difficult to win big races from box eight at Wentworth Park, Good Odds Cash can handle the outside alley and before her luckless defeat last week was unbeaten in three races wearing the pink rug.
Saturday night's other final is the 520m Ladbrokes Maiden, with Improbable, fastest winner of the November 17 heats at Wentworth Park, to exit box five.
Trainer Shaun Evans is happy with Improbable's draw after his greyhound led throughout from box four to win her heat in 30.30.
"I didn't want an inside box in the final because Improbable likes to run in the middle of the track,'' Evans said.
"I was hoping for an outside or middle draw so I think she is well placed in box five.
"Improbable will run straight from the boxes to the first corner so she just has to do what she did in her heat to be hard to beat again.''
Each of Irinka Riley's six wins have been from boxes one to four but the Jack Smith-trained talent can overcome box six to win Saturday's Cash Connect ATM Plus Stakes, 520m.
After Irinka Riley clocked a handy 30.07 in finishing second from box seven at his most recent Wentworth Park start on October 30, Smith commented: "It seems he is finally learning how to handle himself from a wide draw.''
With a personal best Wentworth Park time of 29.66, Irinka Riley is by far the fastest dog in Saturday's fifth grade event.
Flighty Fernando finished fifth at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night but has a perfect draw and is set to make amends in Saturday's It's Market Night Stakes, 520m.
On Wednesday the Minnie Finn-trained Flighty Fernando missed the jump from box three and lost all chance after colliding heavily at the first turn.
She had box one when she won at Wentworth Park on November 3 and with wide runners KIng's Crown, Suaalii and Sugar Violet in two, three and four on Saturday, Flighty Fernando should get the run of the race.
