Part-owner Brad Canty believes a dry Wentworth Park track last Saturday would have seen You Never Lose take out his heat of the National Sprint Championship, but the dog is poised to lead all the way in Thursday night's NSW final at headquarters.
In his heat You Never Lose was resuming after a two months' break and having his first 520m test in five months when he led until near the winning post before finishing second, beaten a half length, by Omega Travis in 30.07.
The Minnie Finn-trained Might Have Been won the other heat in 30.00, catching his kennelmate Great Flash in the last couple of strides.
On August 1 the Thursday night Wentworth Park meeting was abandoned due to the state of the track, so it was no surprise the surface remained heavy just 48 hours later.
The Michelle Sultana-trained You Never Lose has box three in Thursday's final and Canty said: "This dog is airborne at the moment and if it had been a dry track last Saturday he would have won for sure.
"He trialled brilliantly over 400m at Maitland before last week's race and if he jumps in front again on Thursday night I think he will be winning.''
Minnie Finn has Both Bowers Ace (box one), Great Flash (four), Might Have Been (seven) and Poco Rico (eight) in the Sprint with fastest qualifier Might Have Been looking her best chance.
Before Might Have Been's 30sec heat win from box one Finn declared the dog usually preferred a wide draw.
"He doesn't like being crowded by other dogs on his outside,'' she said.
So Might Have Been seems well drawn on Thursday, although Both Bowers Ace, despite finishing fourth, beaten two lengths in Omega Travis' heat, has strong claims.
Both Bowers Ace was badly checked entering the back straight in that race and can improve sharply from the rails slot.
Pre-post favourite She Is Fire has had to miss Thursday night's NSW National Distance Championship despite her easy 600m win over Ritza Piper at The Gardens last Saturday.
Trainer Mark Moroney said: "She Is Fire got 'cleaned' up in the catching pen and finished up with bruising and swelling on her outside rear leg.
"Unfortunately she will be out of action for at least three weeks.''
She Is Fire's scratching makes Ritza Piper, the most prolific and fastest Wentworth Park 720m winner in Thursday night's Championship, look the greyhound to beat.
The Joe Scerri-trained bitch has had nine wins and eight placings in 19 long-distance assignments at Wentworth Park and with a personal best 720m time of 41.78, goes into the race as the only runner to have broken 42sec.
Fahey's Magic has been runner-up at her past five starts over 710m at Albion Park and 732m at Ipswich and will be one of the hardest to beat.
Her trainer Tyson Barton said: "I freshened her up after she finished second on July 22 as I felt she needed a short break.
"She had been up for quite a while and I think the let-up will do her good, although it could mean she is slightly short of a run on Thursday.
"Fahey's Magic has had a couple of 350m slips leading up to this race and while she has not raced over 720m at Wentworth Park, she had plenty of experience on that track when she was trained previously in Sydney by John Carruthers.
"I can assure you she is feeling real good for this week's race.''
Pearly Tears is another newcomer to Wentworth Park 720m racing but the greyhound, owned and trained on the central coast by Michael Ivers, knows her way around the course.
"She cut her teeth trialling at Wenty when she was a youngster,'' Ivers said.
"Pearly Tears has won two of her past three starts over 515m at Gosford and 600m at The Gardens and although those wins were not great she should be suited by Thursday's 720m.''
Pearly Tears has won over 710m at Albion Park and 715m at Sandown and Ivers took her to Wentworth Park on Monday night to reacquaint his bitch to Wentworth Park, giving her a 280m trial.
