What The Trainer Said: As good as my bitch is, she doesn’t like waiting around in the kennels and really pumps herself up, so Race 9 is the only thing against her. She’s not what you call a genuine railer but being in Box 1 is probably better than being in the middle and getting bumped or being wide and having to work hard to get into it. She’s never going to lead a race but the rail might let her get into a nice spot. She’s never going to lead Raider’s Guide so we just need to be close enough to him down the back straight. He showed good speed to find the lead last week and that was his first 700 so he should improve. Minnie Finn’s dog is probably the only one who showed a lot of speed and it could be up there as well. Valpolicella won a big race at Wentworth Park off Box 1 so we’re hoping she can come out like that again. She’s worked well all week, she’s feeling fine and ready to go.
What The Trainer Said: He’s a length or two behind the good ones and just lacks a bit of class. He can stay though and that’s the main thing. He just plods along but always finishes his races off well down here and the heat run was his first look at the track so I’d be wrapped if he could run in the first three or four. Box 2 won’t matter too much and he’s lost a lot of his early pace now that he’s over the staying trip. If he’s to have any chance of being in the finish, he needs to be on the fence and in the first handful of runners as they pass the post. If he was in front, there’s no doubt he can go quicker than 41.90 and he went 42.60 at The Meadows which is handy. Since I’ve stepped him up in trip, he’s been that consistent it’s not funny and his brother is making the trip up as well so we’re ready to go.
What The Trainer Said: I just want her to begin and not get touched. If she gets away cleanly, she’s more than capable, but if she gets hit, she’s only 25kg so it takes a bit out of her. She almost broke The Gardens track record from Box 1 in the Newcastle Cup in December. She ran 41.43 and the record is 41.40 so she can do it. She just can’t afford to miss the kick and needs to be in the top three through the first bend otherwise she’s no chance. But I’ve worked her well up the straight this week, I’ll give her a hydro bath and a blow dry and get her ready to go. It’s in the hands of the Maltese gods.
Dog To Beat: Valpolicella and Might Have Been could be the best roughie
Big Joe Scerri is confident Ritza Piper is back to her best after returning from a four-month absence in the heats of the Ladbrokes 715
What The Trainer Said: She uses a bit of the track which is her downfall but she can ping on her night so Box 4 doesn’t matter too much. She’s 100% got to be on the arm to win, she could improve five or six lengths if she’s on the arm and she’s more tractable when she’s on pace. She runs a tighter line if she’s leading whereas she tends to fan out if she’s chaSing other dogs. It was her first run at the track in the heats and we didn’t get a chance to trial. She’s pretty dour and one paced so I couldn’t see her running down these sorts of dogs. It’s exciting to be in the final because you talk to anyone about the race and the prizemoney and people naturally get interested.
Dog To Beat: Valpolicella but Raider’s Guide was impressive last week
Sin Rap Explode came into the series off a fourth-placed finish in the G1 Association Cup behind Palawa King
Might Have Been | Minnie Finn
Best Gardens 715m Time: 41.81
Best Track & Distance 1st Split: 15.43
Track & Distance Record: 1: 1-0-0
Box 5 History: 4: 1-0-0
Ladbrokes Price: $34
What The Trainer Said: I wasn’t surprised he got through because we trialled on the Monday before the heats and he went really good, his sections were flying. On last week, he could lead and that’s his only chance of winning. He ran third in the Country Classic and he’s not as quick as his siblings but he’s stronger. He’d have to go quicker than his heat time of 41.8 to win it but I think he could run 41.6 and they don’t tend to run as quick in finals because the fields are a bit more competitive. The heat was his first 700 and normally they are a bit flat the next week but he’s pulled up good and he’s a pretty fit dog because he’s racing consistently over 600 so I don’t think it’ll be an issue. It’s the richest staying race in the world and this is why we get up every morning and work hard.
What The Trainer Said: We’re going in their expecting nothing but hoping for the best. He is a very enigmatic animal, but he’s got a V8 motor, he Chases a leaf at home and we slip him up the straight here and he comes up like a demon. He just needs to find the front and if he can do that, they’ll be looking around saying “where’s this guy come from?”. He was a tad unlucky in the heats because he got touched early but he broke the first two section records over 600m when we trialled him there and he’s the track record holder over the middle distance at The Gardens so he races well there. It’s one of the most open 715’s in history and I know there’s only been two before. Valpolicella is perfectly boxed and will get a dream run. If Ritza Piper steps in front, I think she’ll be damn hard to beat. CANYA AMY and Raider’s Guide would be better suited on the inside but they’re both a great chance. And kudos to Raider’s Guide for travelling from Tasmania and doing what they’re doing.
Dog To Beat: CANYA AMY and Raider’s Guide are the good chances and Valpolicella is boxed the best.
Like Wildfire is being prepared by caretaker trainer Peter Lagogiane after recently being sold to the South Australian-based Tim Aloisi
What The Trainer Said: There’s a bit of rain around so the slower the track, the better it is for CANYA AMY. A heavy track makes a lot of difference over 720m when dogs like CANYA AMY and Valpolicella are 800m dogs. She might jump a bit left out Box 7 but she won’t lead Raider’s Guide so our best bet is if she can get onto the back of him and get a drag her into the race.
What The Trainer Said: He looked a bit at sea going around that first corner at full speed in the heat but now he’s had a look at that, he might improve a little bit and go quicker than Valpolicella did. He actually broke the track record over 600m in a trial at The Gardens about a month ago and handled the track really well so it was a shock to see him go so wide in the heat. He does tend to run a bit wide on the first corner so Box 8 might not be too big an issue. He does tend to get out of the boxes pretty well against stayers though and he’s been strong to the line in plenty of his middle distance races. He’s a very determined dog and I’m not worried about him backing up over 700 for the first time in his career because he’s something out of this world. He’s a good traveller, he’s a sensible dog and he likes cool weather so the forecast looks favourable, and I’ll celebrate with a cigarette and a cup of coffee if he wins on Friday night.
