Irinka Digby is the best bet on the program following his strong 29.84 win at Dapto seven days ago.
The son of Aston Dee Bee gets an identical setup to that race, jumping from Box 3 in a field of mixed fourth/fifth grade dogs over 520m, and only needs to put in a repeat performance to be prominent at the business end of proceedings.
The main dangers in the race, including kennelmate Oscar Boaz (Box 8), are all drawn wider on the track as well, so if Irinka Digby can clock a 5.39 first section and lead them through the catching pen, he will be awfully hard to run down.
Irinka Digby’s litter, which includes 15-time winner Damage and 11-time victor Mia She’s Fast, has now won 26.5% of their 204 race starts and with even luck, the Brewer kennel has a good chance of another victory on Thursday night.
“We were really happy with Digby’s run and the time last week and he might even have a bit more in the tank. He’s a strong dog and his second section and run home times are showing he’s finishing races off well too. He’s one of the fastest we’ve got right now but [kennelmate] Oscar Boaz went 5.37 to the first mark in his win last week and the two are very similar time wise. I’d actually like them boxed the other way around as Boaz likes the rail whereas Digby has shown he can run well from anywhere,” Brewer said.
R12 - #2 Me Spook | Joseph Baldacchino This youngster has only had the five career starts but she has already raced over the Dapto 297m on three occasions for two wins and a third.
She overcame a sluggish start last week (and had a bit of good fortune) to claim victory in a time of 17.29, but her best of 17.18 would hold her in really good stead in this restricted 1-2 win fifth grade race.
Has had the advantage of inside draws in her last three starts and should again enjoy a good run from Box 2, especially with her main rivals drawn out wide.
Me Spook is out of the first litter from Baldacchino’s 11-time winner Mascot Miss and looms as one of the best bets on Thursday night’s card.
RACE OF THE NIGHT Race 7 | GRNSW Middle Distance Series 5th Grade | 600m
A good mix of experienced and emerging greyhounds will tackle this 600m assignment on Thursday night, with each runner capable of running a bold race.
Cumbria Days (Box 1) owns the best track and trip PB of 34.52 and if he was able to reproduce that time from an inside draw, he will be difficult to toss. Has runs of 34.70, 35.04, 35.08 and 34.56 to his name since the PB and although he is yet to win over the Dapto 600m, he looks well placed in this event. Box 1 record (9: 3-1-2) is very credible and he will likely start favourite.
Greg Hore has two in the race with Cassie Cool (Box 2) and Monster Mel (Box 6) both a chance. Cassie Cool (best of 34.85) is stepping back in trip from a 720m event at Wentworth Park and should be hitting the line hard. Monster Mel (seen in replay below) seems the better of the two hopes, and after running 34.55 at the track back on July 6, looks most likely to topple the favourite. She is building a good race record as well with 16 starts producing four wins and eight minor placings.
Scorching Boy (Box 3) ran well at Goulburn last start behind Mr. Yellowstone but now steps up frm 440m to the middle-distance trip. The Jess Fothergill-trained runner beat home handy types Bandit Bullet and Sweet City Gal in the luckless Goulburn run and could be suited by the softer Dapto 600m.
Rockstar Rampe (Box 4) won a middle-distance race with a bit less depth at Dapto back on June 22 but would probably have to lower his best time of 35.04 to claim this. While Cracker Night (Box 5) hasn’t won since August last year, has been mixing his distances of late and is 0/9 from Box 5 in his career.
Flashing Torque (Box 7) will have race start 77 on Thursday night and has been racing predominately in Masters company of late. He did produce a track and trip best time of 35.06 less than two months ago and will likely be running on strongly.
And Tiggerlong Ruby (Box 8) is coming off three straight in the country, with a 29.97 effort over the Wagga 525m two back jumping off the page. The Helen Finn-trained chaser had several runs over this trip and further in Victoria without a win, but she is in form.
Race 4 | Ebony Dancer (Box 1) – she should lead but she likes to run out in the middle of the track and that’s what normally happens when she draws inside. She’s not suited inside even though she’s won 2/2 off the red. It just depends on the speed outside her, if she gets out in front, she’ll be hard to run down.
All For Irish (Box 6) – he likes it out wider but he’s only had one run in the last month with a bit of a wrist injury. I think he’s ready to go now though and if he can find his best straight away, he’d be my tip in the race. He’s run 16.94 at Dapto while Ebony Dancer has only gone 17.29. He’s got a bit on them class wise but it just depends where his fitness is at.
R9 | Ebony Panda (Box 4) – he can be a bit touchy at the start but if he jumps, his best of 16.94 would be competitive. He moves up the track a bit so I don’t like Box 4 and being drawn inside Ninja Mac, I just hope he doesn’t take him out.
Ronnie Alcock is currently second in the Trainer Of The Year race at Dapto
Ninja Mac (Box 5) – he’ll go pretty straight and he should have won last week but him and Rosebery Hustler came together which gave the winner the run around. If he was drawn inside of Ebony Panda I’d say he’d bolt in but he’s got to clear him to be a chance.
Ebony Moss (Box 7) – he’s a bit touchy at the start too but he’s gone 16.88 and is probably one of the only dogs to have beaten Quantifiable there. He came out and ran a 5.22 first section that night which is something he doesn’t do normally.
Best Chance | Ninja Mac has won 12 races at Dapto and he’s the more consistent dog. I think Ameena’s Meraki is the hardest to beat in Race 9 as it ran 5.27 to the first mark a few weeks ago and it’s hard to catch a dog running that at Dapto.
