First Wenty Winner On The Horizon For Izzard

By Jeff Collerson
Zipping Delvene, a $2,500 bargain buy, is poised to give her 20-year-old owner-trainer Ben Izzard his first Wentworth Park winner on Saturday night.

Zipping Delvene, who was purchased from leading owner-breeder Marty Hallinan, has box one in the Ladbroke It! Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.

She has been placed in each of her past three Wentworth Park starts when contesting especially strong fifth grades and a heat of the Young Star Classic.

After being slowly away from box eight and fifth at the first turn Zipping Delvene was a strong finishing second, beaten five lengths, by the JODIE Lord-trained Midnight Spritz in 29.75 on September 20.

Ten days later Zipping Delvene ran into Craig Chappelow's talent speedster Overflow Beau and again finished second, five lengths behind the winner in a flying 29.65.

Then last Saturday in a heat of the Young Star series, Zipping Delvene chased Blue Falcon and Black Tsunami all the way and recorded 30.09 in snaring the minor prizemoney.

Owner-trainer Ben Izzard said: "Zipping Delvene has got her box on Saturday so she gets her chance to give me my first Wenty winner.

"I have been training greyhounds for just six months and because I work full-Time I only have four in work.
"Zipping Delvene's flaw is that she tends to play up in the starting boxes so I hope she steps away cleanly on Saturday.

"No matter what happens she was a cheap buy because she is a daughter of Zipping Lilly and comes from a terrific dam line so I will be breeding from her when she finishes racing.''

A terrible getaway ruined Isle Of Rose's prospects when she made her Wentworth Park debut last Saturday but the Troy Macdonald-trained bitch, who has won five of seven races, should atone in this week's NSW GBOTA Welcome Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.

Last Saturday Isle Of Rose was sent out a $2.40 favourite after stringing together several impressive Maitland wins and trialling a brilliant 29.66 at Wentworth Park.

But she "bombed" the start, coming out three lengths behind the field and then finding trouble at the first turn and winding up fifth, beaten seven lengths by Time To Go in 29.79.

Isle Of Rose had box eight last week but has box one on Saturday and in her sole appearance wearing the red rug she won by five lengths at Maitland on August 21.

Trainer Troy Macdonald said: "I couldn't believe how badly she jumped last week but was encouraged by how she showed brains at the first turn when she actually side-stepped another dog that was running off the track.

"Although she had trialled fast at Wenty race experience is important and Isle Of Rose got worked up last week and was a bit over the top leading up to her event.

"She pulled up well and I'm hoping having that race under her belt will make all the difference this week.''

Molly On Fire's only Wentworth Park win, in 30.03, was from box eight but trainer Andrew Bell is happy seeing her in box three in Saturday's Ladbrokes Sports Bar Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.

"She needs to be drawn near the fence,'' Bell said.

"Molly On Fire has run some good races at Wentworth Park, none better than when she ran second to Andy Lord's good dog My Bandit in 29.96 in late July.

"She gave My Bandit eight or nine lengths down the back straight and was only beaten four lengths.

"I think she is capable of being the pacemaker on Saturday and if she leads and gets a break with a bit of scrimmaging behind her, she should be hard to beat.''

Best Bet Isle Of Rose (race 1)
Best Value Zipping Delvene (race 2)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 3, 7, 6
Race 6 - 3, 1, 4
Race 7 - 3, 5
Race 8 - 1, 3, 2
$20 for 37.03%