Placed To Perfection Could See Ash Get The Christmas Gifts
By Jeff Collerson
Skillful placing of his greyhounds Charlie's Jar and Special Blend has put country trainer Ashley Dwyer in the box seat to land a winning Christmas Eve double at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Special Blend, who has won five races at headquarters, opposes five greyhounds with a combined total of just two Wentworth Park wins in heat two of the Incapacitated At Stud Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
Charlie's Jar won a third and fourth grade at his most recent appearance over 520m at Wentworth Park on December 14 but drops back to fifth grade company in heat four of the Incapacitated At Stud Stakes.
"To maximise a dog's earnings you need to place them judiciously and Special Blend and Charlie's Jar are down to fifth grade under the drop back grading clause,'' Dwyer said.
"They are both top grade on provincial tracks so taking them to Wenty for a Saturday night meeting was the obvious option.
"There is nothing between my pair, if I trial them together it usually depends on who gets to the front early.
"Charlie's Jar beat Special Blend on his merits in the Million Dollar Chase Bathurst final and because he has box eight he is my better chance on Saturday.
"Charlie's Jar has won five of his nine races from box eight so I'm rapt to see him wearing the pink rug on Saturday.
"Special Blend is not as well positioned because he has won just once in 10 starts from box seven, but the small field will suit the way he races and puts him in with a good chance.''
"She wants an outside draw because she is a wide runner,'' Woods said.
"When she won at Wentworth Park from box eight in 30.29 on December 3 Eureka Remi was seeing the track for the first time because she had not been trialled there.
"Then when she finished fifth from box one at Wentworth Park a week later Eureka Remi got jammed up at the first turn but pushed her way through to the lead.
"She was still in front coming to the home bend and while she lost her compass a bit at that point I was very happy with her run because she only finished two lengths from the winner.
"I also have Eureka Remi's litter brother Young Ivan in heat six of the Incapacitated but while he won handily at The Gardens at his last start he is not as good as his sister.''
Irrational boasts the impressive strike rate of 11 wins from 34 starts and can lift his Wentworth Park tally to three wins from eight appearances in heat three of the Incapacitated At Stud Stakes.
"He has box four but having an empty box on his left is a help,'' trainer Andrew Crouch said.
"I trialled Irrational at Wentworth Park on Tuesday night and he went well.''
She has a poor draw but Zipping Alabama only needs luck in running to prove a good value bet in Saturday night's 520m Ladbroke It! Stakes.
Zipping Alabama is a slow beginner and has box six but possesses a powerhouse finish and "flew" home when third to Hold Me Up in last Saturday's group 3 Christmas Gift final.
Zipping Alabama posted an electrifying 29.36 at Wentworth Park in September and none of her five opponents on Saturday has come close to matching those figures.
