Stagger Out Lee, who staged that remarkable last-to-first performance to win last Saturday night's 715m Bold Trease final at Sandown, returns to NSW for Friday night's first heat of the Newcastle Cup over the same distance at LADBROKES GARDENS.
Her 24-year-old trainer Jack Strutt is upbeat about his greyhound's chances, pointing out Stagger Out Lee, although domiciled at Springvale, near Wagga, is already partial to the Newcastle track.
"She has had three goes there over 600m and at her first start, back in May, she won by 13 lengths,'' Strutt said.
"It usually takes Stagger Out Lee three or four runs to really become acquainted and comfortable with a track so Friday's race, over the more suitable 715m, looks ideal.
"The small field of six is in her favour and although she had box one at Sandown I'm happy with her box seven draw on Friday.
"Obviously Cawbourne Magic, who was runner-up behind my bitch at Sandown, will be hard to beat.''
Strutt has one full semester remaining before he completes a law degree but at present is undecided about whether he wants to become a solicitor or a barrister.
"I finish up midway through next year and I'll make up my mind then,'' Strutt said.
"But I'm in no hurry to become a lawyer,'' he added, suggesting his success as a greyhound trainer could put practising law on hold for the time being.
Cawbourne Magic's trainers JODIE and Andy Lord have paid her Newcastle Cup candidate a huge compliment by rating him better than her 2019 final winner Just Terms.
Cawbourne Magic goes into Friday night's first heats from box five boasting an outstanding record over the 715m LADBROKES GARDENS journey, having posted a sizzling 41.43 winning on May 26.
Those figures were just .03sec outside the course record, set by Cool Bourbski in a heat of the Cup in 2021 before victory in the final.
Andy Lord has declared Cawbourne Magic a better stayer than Just Terms, commenting: "Cawbourne Magic only turned two in August so has it all ahead of him, but even at this stage he is the better of the two.''
The Lord family has their Dapto 600m record holder Bandit Jane making her long distance debut from box three in heat two of the 715m Cup.
Andy Lord said: "Bandit Jane has not seen the LADBROKES GARDENS track and has not been tried over 715m but if she is able to get to the front early, look out!''
