French Martini took her record to three wins from as many appearances at her Wentworth Park debut in a heat of the New Sensation last Wednesday but trainer Peter Lagogiane believes her box eight final draw could mean the end of her unbeaten streak.
Last Wednesday French Martini, who clocked near record time at her first start over 515m at LADBROKES GARDENS on March 4 and followed with a courageous win at the same course a week later, trailed Space Girl to the back straight before surging ahead approaching the home bend.
She defeated the more experienced Good Odds Emma by just under a length in 29.97 while Victoria's Devine Empress set the heats time standard of 29.94 while Sam Sultana's Yuko Girl made full use of box one to win her heat in 29.96.
The JODIE Lord-trained Doonan stretched his winning tally at Wentworth Park to five from six with a 30.08 come-from-behind win in the other heat.
Doonan has drawn box one in Saturday's final with Yuko Girl nicely positioned in box three, Devine Empress in four but French Martini in box eight.
"That is going to make it awfully hard for her,'' trainer Lagogiane said.
"French Martini had plenty of Wentworth Park experience before the New Sensation heats and had clocked very fast post-to-post hand-slip times before recording 30sec flat on a bog track in her first hit-out from the 520m boxes.
"That trial, just over a week before the New Sensation heats, took a lot out of French Martini so it was a really first rate effort for her to come from behind to beat greyhounds of the calibre of Good Odds Emma and Space Girl in her New Sensation heat.
"She has the natural ability, she just needs to learn how to race.''
Good Odds Emma's trainer Frank Hurst is looking forward to testing his bitch over a middle distance and said: "Ideally she probably should be going over 600m or more right now, she is crying out for it because she has run home at Wenty in 11.60.
"But there are too many good 520m races around now so I'll just have to wait.''
Despite drawing box four Devine Empress remains the greyhound to beat in Saturday's $40,000 to the winner final.
Devine Empress has Yuko Girl, a speedy railer in box three and Forever Thankful, a near foolproof beginner who gets wide, outside her in five.
Devine Empress, trained by Kayla Cottrell, has won 11 of 16 races and that's no surprise as she is bred to be good.
Cheering Devine Empress on next Saturday will be Ebby Ripper's owner-trainer Michael Eberand, who has a five month old litter from his grand stayer, sired by Barcia Bale, along with a 13 months old litter by Barcia Bale's son Ritza Lenny.
