Four, Seven & Eight, But Two Suits Perfectly

By Jeff Collerson
Bluegrass has won four races from boxes four, seven and eight but trainer Glenn Summerfield is delighted seeing his promising sprinter in box two at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night.

Bluegrass, who had box eight when she won first-up at Wentworth Park last Wednesday, will wear the black and white rug in the Ladbrokes Bet Ticker Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.

"People tend to think Bluegrass wants an outside box but that's only because that is all she has ever had,'' Summerfield said.

"The closest she has ever been to the rails was when she drew box three at Dapto on August 4 but that night she lost all chance when the dog in box two ran wide at the start and skittled her.

"When I trial Bluegrass she rails well and her effort to win in 30.08 last week was good because she had never seen Wentworth Park.

"I was bringing my youngster Time Chariot to Wenty for the Million Dollar Chase Maiden heats so although Bluegrass had not trialled at the track, I thought I might as well nominate her as well.''

Last Wednesday Bluegrass showed good early speed from box eight but was hampered when trying to get around the pacemaker Snowman to reach the rails going through the catching pen.

Once she found the inside running Bluegrass raced away to score by five lengths in a nippy 30.08.


Trainer Chris Carl believes his bitch Let's All Chant's habit of barking when the lure is approaching causes her to miss the jump so he is banking on luck in running helping her take out Wednesday's NSW GBOTA Welcome Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.

Let's All Chant dwelt at the start and was checked soon after when she came from fourth on the back straight to win in a moderate 30.35 at Wentworth Park on September 10.

"I have never trialled her solo at Wenty but with a good start and a clear run I think she could break 30 seconds there,'' Carl said.

"Let's All Chant's problem is she barks so much I don't think she can hear the lure approaching and consequently she misses the kick all the time.

"She won't be helped on Wednesday by her litter brother Sly Dunbar, who is trained for me by Sam Simonetta, being drawn inside her.

"Sly Dunbar also barks when the lure approaches so Let's All Chant is going to need a bit of luck in running.''


Hardest for Let's All Chant to beat could be Funky Girl, a little 24kg speedster who led throughout from box seven to win in 30.24 at Wentworth Park last Wednesday.

Trainer Joe Comito said: "She lost the first corner last week so I'm hoping she will handle the bend better this time.

"Funky Girl had not raced at Wenty before last week and had only had a box-to-box trial, and in that hit-out she also got wide on the first turn.''

Funky Girl is a litter sister to Comito's TAB Million Dollar Chase finalist Hold Me Up.

Rivello will contest Wednesday night's Free-For-All after her excellent second at Wentworth Park last Saturday night but her talented litter sister and kennelmate Ruby Kade looks well placed in the Ladbroke It! Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.

Ruby Kade showed good early pace before finishing fourth, one-and-a-half lengths behind her sister, in last week's fifth grade but should relish coming from box one on Wednesday night.

Before last week's race their owner-breeder Peter Spiteri said: "When their trainer Peter Sims gave Rivello and Ruby Kade a post-to-post trial at Wenty they clocked identical times.''

Ruby Kade has a great record from inside boxes, winning two from three races wearing the red rug and three from five out of boxes two and three.


Wednesday's best bet looms as Punter's Bandit, who has box one in race 10, a 520m fifth grade.

Punter's Bandit has clocked 29.71 at Wentworth Park but the quickest any of her rivals has recorded is Rockstar Cabello's 30.09.

Punter's Bandit's trainer Andy Lord has "form greyhounds" Chair Man in race four, a 720m mixed stakes, and Coast Model in eight in the Free-For-All.

"Chair Man and Coast Model are going well but they would both be a lot better off drawn near the rails,'' Lord observed.

Best Bet Punter's Bandit (race 10)

Best Value Ruby Kade (race 2)

Quaddie race 5 - 1, 6, 5

Race 6 - 6, 1, 4

Race 7 - 8, 4, 5

Race 8 - 2, 3

$20 for 37.03%