Wentworth Park punters could be left seeing red on Saturday night with the greyhounds drawn in box one having tremendous chances in each of the four group race finals.
Mortified and French Martini are ideally placed on the rails in the Ladbrokes National Futurity and Ladbrokes Paws Of Thunder finals, Gozo King is tipped to relish wearing the red rug in the Ladbrokes National Derby and Ritza Piper can lead her rivals a merry dance in the Ladbrokes Summer Distance Plate.
Mortified (pictured) overcame a hefty bump on the first turn to win her Futurity heat from box eight in 29.91 and trainer CHRIS O'Brien said: "While she can handle a wide draw I prefer her in box one.
"On Saturday night the greyhounds drawn in boxes two and three step to the right so Mortified should get plenty of room to move.
"That's all she ever needs and hopefully she can break them up down the back straight like she normally does.
"Since her heat win I haven't done much with Mortified except let her paddle and play in the salt water so she is nice and fresh and ready to go.''
Gozo King's trainer Sam Sultana was over the moon when his dog drew box one in the National Derby, saying: "Victa Damian and Starline Express are going to be hard to beat but they have drawn boxes five and six so could get in each other's way.''
French Martini's 29.45 was fastest of the Paws Of Thunder heats but she faces Golden Easter Egg and Million Dollar Chase winner She's A Pearl in box eight on Saturday night.
She's A Pearl is undefeated in five starts from that draw but on Saturday must get around the wide running Embrace, in box seven, to obtain a clear run to the first bend.
French Martini's trainer Peter Lagogiane said: "My bitch is very fit, she has got the right draw, and if Embrace jumps likes she did when she won her heat she might hold She's A Pearl up for a few strides.''
To win the 720m Summer Distance Plate Ritza Piper has to end the winning streak of crack stayer Cawbourne Magic but she has the box achieve that tall order.
The Joe Scerri-trained Ritza Piper showed determination and speed to work her way across from box eight to win her heat in 42.16, just .10sec slower than Cawbourne Magic's winning time.
Cawbourne Magic has again drawn box eight but Ritza Piper has come up with a far more suitable inside alley.
South Australian trainer Tony Rasmussen has three big race finalists, with fastest qualifier Victa Damian in box five in the Derby and Queen Of Scotch and Victa Marli in boxes two and seven in the Futurity.
"Victa Damian will run dead straight from the boxes to the first corner and I expect him and Starline Express to match motors going into that bend,'' Rasmussen said.
"I reckon whoever comes out of the turn in front will probably win.
"Queen Of Scotch is my better chance in the Futurity because if she jumps away as fast as she usually does she could be way out in front on the back straight.
"She steps to the right at the start so box two may not be ideal but Wyndra All Class, who has box three, also moves wide so might give Queen Of Scotch a clear run.''
Interestingly although Queen Of Scotch is a wide runner she has won two of her three starts from box two.
Easiest winner of any of the group race heats was Starline Express, who put 16 lengths between himself and his nearest opponent in his runaway Derby heat romp.
Trainer Reg Gardoll said: "I'm satisfied with Starline Express being in box six because I wanted him drawn wide and even from the six he will take one step to the right when the lids lift.
"But when he gets to the first turn Starline Express will cut down hard towards the rails.
"Of his rivals Gozo King has a good draw and also has a pretty handy trainer in Sam Sultana.''
The only trainer with two finalists in the Derby is Shaun Evans from The Oaks, who will be represented by litter brothers Rockstar Apollo and Rockstar Gunnar in boxes three and four.
"Rockstar Apollo has always been a fair bit quicker than his brother and I'm obviously thrilled to have them both in the final although I would have preferred them boxed the other way around,'' Evans said.
"I just hope Gunnar does not crowd his brother going to the first turn.''
