Win or lose in Thursday night's Queensland Derby at Albion Park, the Grafton-trained Starline Express, second fastest qualifier for the group 2 final at Albion Park, will head to Wentworth Park for heats of the group 1 Ladbrokes National Derby on January 13.
Trainer Reg Gardoll, who took out the 2005 group 1 Vic Peters Classic at Wentworth Park with Watch The Web, said: "I was hoping for box eight with Starline Express at Albion Park on Thursday but he has drawn six.
"That's not ideal but it could be a lot worse.
"Starline Express can begin a lot better than he did in his Derby heat win but his explosive early speed had him in front before they got to the first turn.
"That brilliance when he hits the ground is his big asset.''
Littermates Sauve Ripple and Rapid Ripple, trained by Michael Lalicz at Dungay, in the NSW Northern Rivers, were runners-up in their Derby heats and have drawn boxes two and three respectively.
Simply Limelight, from the western Sydney kennel of Peter Rodgers, won his Queensland Derby heat in 30.02 from box two but his awful luck in final box draws has stayed with him at Albion Park.
Rodgers' partner Patricia Breen said: "We would have been happy with box one, two or three, but he drew box five, although thankfully he did pull up really well after his heat win.''
While Thursday night's trio of group 2 finals are in Queensland, NSW-owned or trained greyhounds look sure to play a big part in the results.
The 2022 Wentworth Park group 1 Peter Mosman Opal winner Embrace, trained 88km from Sydney at Oakdale by Craig Chappelow, finished fourth in her heat of the Queensland Futurity but has qualified for the final and will exit box five.
NSW influence is particularly strong in Thursday's 600m Golden Sands final where Sydney's John Finn-trained Wentworth Park stars Zipping Kygrios and Zipping Alabama have boxes seven and eight respectively.
Michael Lalicz, who also has two Queensland Derby finalists, will be represented in the Golden Sands by Street Cry, who won his heat from box one in 35.03 and has drawn four in the final.
John Finn's wife Minnie rates Zipping Kyrgios as their kennel's best chance, although she is far from confident because of his wide draw.
"We wanted inside boxes for both of them, especially Zipping Alabama, and she will have the job ahead from the eight,'' she said.
Zipping Alabama was a fast-finishing second behind Victoria's Lektra Rhino in 34.74, easily the fastest heat, while Zipping Kyrgios came from a long way back to go under by a neck to Sunshine Delight in 35.27.
Best boxed finalist in the Golden Sands is Shaye, trained in Queensland by Jedda Cutlack but owned, bred and reared in the NSW Southern Highlands by Sonia Davis.
Owner-breeder Davis' husband Peter said: "Shaye is by no means the quickest dog in the Golden Sands, she is not in the same class as a couple of her rivals.
"But boxes win big races and she has good early speed as she showed when she won her heat in 35.04 from box two, so the inside alley gives her a hope.''
Showman Jack, another greyhound set to tackle the January 13 heats of the group 1 Ladbrokes National Derby at Wentworth Park, was responsible for an outstanding effort to finish second, beaten a head, in his Queensland Derby heat last Thursday.
But the dog, trained by John Smart at Camden, has only qualified as second reserve for the Derby so is unlikely to gain a start.
"After his super performance to win over 603m at Gosford on December 20, I intended taking him to Brisbane for the 600m Golden Sands but had a change of heart and nominated him for the 520m Derby where he would be racing dogs his own age,'' John Smart said.
"In hindsight I pulled the wrong rein because the longer race would have been better for him.
"In the 520m Derby Showman Jack came from 10 lengths off the lead on the back straight and then, when he made his run, he went through the middle instead of going inside or around his rivals.''
