Okey To Make It Two In A Row At Wenty

By Jeff Collerson
Okey trounced a top grade 280m lineup at his Wentworth Park debut last week and is boxed to put in a repeat performance at headquarters on Wednesday night.

Okey had box two when he led all the way in a blistering 15.85 last Wednesday and will exit box one in this week's 11th race, another top grade 280m event.

"Before his win last week Okey trialled 16.10 at Wenty at his first look at the track but he always improves on solo trials because he loves racing other dogs,'' trainer Lindsay Davis said.

"Okey is a real competitor because in his first trial over 388m at Gosford he clocked 22.50 but then he came out and won there in 22.01.

"He has since won three races there in 22.12, 22.08 and 22.10.

"Okey possesses such great early burn which is obviously a huge asset.''

Typhoon Ethics has had a win and two placings from five Wentworth Park appearances and goes into Wednesday night's Ladies Night This Friday Stakes, a 520m fifth grade, as the quickest Wenty winner.

Trainer Peter Rodgers said: "Typhoon Ethics' best time at Wentworth Park is 30.05 but I think he is capable of breaking 30sec.

"There does not seem to be a lot of early pace in this race so I think he can be up near the lead at the first turn.

"He will handle box four okay because he was unlucky not to make the pace from the same draw when he finished third at his last Wentworth Park start on April 19.''

Wagga trainer Ben Talbot has the two fastest qualifiers in Wednesday night's Temora To Wentworth Park Final, a 520m fifth grade, and says there "nothing between" his heat winners Aston Whisky and Cawbourne Ginger.

Aston Whisky, who led throughout to win his 457m heat on April 25 in 26sec, has box seven, while Cawbourne Ginger, a 26.07 all the way heat winner, has drawn box five.

Aston Whisky's sectional times were 7.84 and 17.50 while his kennelmate clocked 7.86 and 17.54.

"There is nothing between them and I don't think the boxes will worry them because they both have a stack of early pace and they will run straight from the start to the first turn,'' Ben Talbot said.

"I also have Betty Mayo, who finished strongly when third in Cawbourne Ginger's heat, in box six, and she is improving all the time.

"Only thing against my trio is none of them has seen Wentworth Park.''

Got A Principle, one of the Talbot trio's toughest opponents, is unlikely to start.

"She has came down with a cough and won't be heading to Sydney,'' her trainer Peter Dooner said.

Veteran western districts trainer Bob Littlefield is a renowned trainer of stayers but conceded "the jury is still out" on whether his dog Devil's Dare will "get" the 720m of Wednesday night's Ladbroke It! Stakes.

"He has been placed in five of 13 shorter races and he slipped well on Monday,'' Littlefield said.

"But I would have liked to have got another couple of middle distance races under his belt before this week.

"Just the same, Devil's Dare is very fit so if he going to run the distance he should be ready to do so.''

Wednesday's best value bet should be Late Notice, who has box five in the Ladbrokes Blended Bets Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.

Late Notice was a good third from box seven in a 520m Wentworth Park maiden in December and has gone brilliantly since a spell, racking up three wins and a second in four shorter races at Richmond.

He likes to race in the centre of the track so looks suitably positioned in box five on Wednesday.
Late Notice winning at Richmond in April.


Best Bet Okey (race 4)
Best Value Late Notice (race 9)

Quaddie 
Race 5 - 4, 3, 1
Race 6 - 1, 5
Race 7 - 4, 8, 7
Race 8 - 3, 2, 1
$20 for 37.03%