Will It Be Wenty Win Number Eight For Father Rick?
By Jeff Collerson
A slick trial at Wentworth Park on Tuesday has under-rated Father Rick poised to notch his eighth win at headquarters on Saturday night.
Father Rick has box three in the Welcome Home Gow Cow Stakes, a 520m fourth and fifth grade, and trainer Ray Webster is upbeat about the dog's prospects.
Webster, whose nephew Andrew Webster is hot favourite to win the 2023 NRL Coach of the Year award after lifting the NZ Warriors into the semi-finals, said: "I only gave Father Rick a box-to-box hit-out on Tuesday but he went extremely well.
"He hit a flat spot recently but Tuesday's run suggests he is back to his best and is ready to win again.
"Father Rick has been in Free-For-Alls for the past five or six weeks and comes back in grade on Saturday night.''
Fascinate Mel won in a best of the night 29.56 at LADBROKES GARDENS on August 11 before leading early and coming again at the finish to beat all but group one winner Embrace in last Saturday's top grade Wentworth Park 520m.
Trainer Noelene Holloway said: "I had intended running Fascinate Mel at The Gardens last weekend but there was no race for her so I put her in at Wentworth Park.
"Her second placing behind Embrace really surprised me because after making the pace she hung on so well when headed by Embrace, who is so strong at the finish.
"Craig Chappelow, the trainer of Embrace, even remarked to me after the race how well Fascinate Mel had run on in the straight.
"Fascinate Mel looks to have a good draw on Saturday night because I far prefer her drawn near the fence than on the outside.''
Until last Saturday Snowman's best Wentworth Park time was 29.94 but the John Smart-trained sprinter led all the way in a sizzling 29.75 to take out a 520m fifth grade.
Snowman will exit box four in another grade five, the Where Else But Wenty? Stakes on Saturday night.
Trainer John Smart insists he wasn't surprised at Snowman's fast time last week.
"He produces a 5.40 first split all the time in trials at Wentworth Park and is capable of beating his brother Showman Jack and sister Esme Watson when I put them around together.
"It has just been a matter of Snowman putting it all together, which he did at Wenty last Saturday.
"I gave Snowman a hand-slip at Appin on Tuesday and he went well so will go into Saturday's race nice and fresh, which is how he likes it.''
Flying Gold, a $17 chance, gave backers of the $1.40 favourite Charlm Dancer a fright at Wentworth Park on August 16 and could produce another surprise in Saturday night's 520m Bitches Only fifth grade final.
In the August 16 heats, Flying Gold began brilliantly and made the pace going through the catching pen before being headed by Charlm Dancer, who came away to win by three-and-a-half lengths.
But Flying Gold's trainer Peter Tobin is satisfied with his greyhound's box six draw in Saturday's final, pointing out: "She always uses a bit of the track so is boxed okay.
"Flying Gold has always been a reasonably good beginner but has never pinged the lids like she did last week so I'm hoping she can do that again.
"There should be some improvement in her because she had not seen Wenty Park before the August 16 heats, I had used that race as her trial on the track.''
