Trainer Glenn Summerfield is banking on Friday's fastest Goulburn Thunderbolt heat winner Star Present's liking for spacious tracks to offset lack of familiarity with the Grafton circuit, venue for Sunday's semi-finals of the rich series.
Star Present
"If the Goulburn heats had been earlier than last Friday I would have had time to take Star Present to Grafton for a trial but the relatively close turnaround makes a trial impossible,'' Summerfield said.
"On top of that Star Present did a couple of somersaults after Friday's race when he was bowled over in the catching pen.
"When I got to him he was covered in sand but while that incident did him no harm I had him in a nice hot bath early the following morning.
"Star Present has only been in my kennels for six weeks, he was previously trained by Phil Goodsell.
"But Phil needed an arthroscope on his knee and that combined with work commitments prevented him travelling to Goulburn, so he asked me to take the dog on behalf of his owner Steve Milligan.
"At his first trial at Goulburn Star Present clocked 19.81 for the 350m and then in a race there on May 30 he recorded a very quick 19.58.
"In his Thunderbolt heat he bungled the start, something he can be inclined to do, but produced a near record run home time to win in 19.80.
"Star Present can zoom around Nowra over 365m in 20.60 but he is really better suited on bigger tracks like Goulburn, which is why I think Grafton, the venue for Sunday's semis and the $75,000 to the winner final on June 24, will suit him.
"But while Star Present had box seven in his Goulburn heat win, I desperately want to see him boxed in one, two or three in his semi-final.
"If he comes out tardily he will be hunting for the fence so will have a lot better chance if he is boxed near there in the first place.''
NSW's latest sensation Like Wildfire has a great chance of claiming his third track record in his short career when he exits box four in Tuesday's 603m GRNSW Middle Distance Series at Gosford.
Like Wildfire, undefeated in five starts, set a new record for the Gosford 603m trip when he won in 33.96 on May 23 and followed that by establishing a new time standard for the 600m journey at LADBROKES GARDENS when he won in 33.88 on June 3.
Like Wildfire has box four on Tuesday but should receive a clear run early as Lucy The Weapon, who has drawn five, is a wide runner.
Trainer Michael Ivers reported Like Wildfire ready to win again and is happy with the box draw, commenting: "Having a vacant box three next to him is a bonus.''
