Preview: Wentworth Park Thursday

By Jeff Collerson
Western districts trainer Trevor Robinson gets his best chance to land his first Wentworth Park double when he brings Big Town Tilly and her litter brother Big Town Mac to town on Thursday night.

Big Town Tilly, who has been placed in each of four Wentworth Park starts, has box four in the Equalizer @ Stud 1-2 Wins fifth grade, while Big Town Mac has drawn three in the Ladbrokes Bet Ticker Stakes fifth grade.

Big Town Mac is quicker than his sister and won from box one at Wentworth Park in 29.89 in July 18.

After being unplaced twice subsequently there from boxes seven and five, Big Town Mac exited box one and gave Jason Magri's highly regarded On Report a big start and a beating in a best time of the night 29.68 at Richmond on August 7.

"Big Town Mac is well drawn on Thursday and his win at Richmond was outstanding, it takes a good dog to run down one of Jason Magri's smart greyhounds.

"As Big Town Mac showed at Richmond, he doesn't need to lead to win, he can spot the leaders four lengths on the back straight and get home in front."


Big Town Tilly | Photo: Redden Photo Video Race Images


"Big Town Tilly is not as good but seems to be in a suitable race on Thursday.

"She made the pace at Wentworth Park last Saturday night but got pressured on the back straight by a bigger dog and still held on well to run third.

"On Thursday it appears all the pace in the race is on her outside so that should help her get to the rail from box four and be the pacemaker again.''

Crack FORBES trainer Jack Smith faces a busy night at Wentworth Park with six starters in races one to 10.

Smith believes four, and possibly five of his runners are capable of winning.

He has the unraced Irinka Lindsay, a 22 month old son of his former top class staying bitch Miss Ezmae, in box five in the Vale Peter Cole Maiden, Lorraine Jacky in box two in the Ladbroke It! Stakes, Irinka Lottie in four in the Ladbrokes Sports Bar Stakes, Flash On By on the rails in the Ladbrokes Communities Stakes, Talk About Class in eight in the Sponsor A Race Stakes, and Irinka Benji wearing the red rug in the Ladbrokes Odds Surge Stakes.

Smith said: "The only one who will stuggle could be Talk About Class because he has drawn badly in box eight.

"I am guessing a bit with Irinka Lindsay but give the other four strong chances.

"Lorraine Jacky has drawn a decent box for a change because she has not been closer to the fence than box four in her past eight starts."

Lorraine Jacky | Photo: Jason McKeown Photography


"Irinka Lottie has got into a bit of form again so I thought I would bring her back to Wenty and while Flash On By has not raced at Wentworth Park he has trialled there and is ready to go well on Thursday.

"Irinka Benji has been runner-up in three of his past five Wentworth Park races and although he can find trouble he is perfectly drawn on the inside.''

When Irinka Benji last had box one it took his powerful finishing kennelmate Flash Boom Bang to run him down, catching Smith's other dog in the last stride.

Even in defeat Irinka Benji clocked a personal best 29.45 and a repeat of those figures should see him win comfortably on Thursday.

Another greyhound ideally placed in box one on Thursday is Sam Sultana's exciting former Victorian bitch LADY WILSON, who will contest The Fiona Roberts Stakes, a 520m top grade.

LADY WILSON has won recently at Wentworth Park in a fast 29.58 and a sizzling 29.35 but she does face her strongest opposition on Thursday.

She has drawn box one just once, winning at The Meadows, Melbourne, before being sent to Sultana's western Sydney kennels where she has been a revelation.

LADY WILSON is an inside draw specialist, as she has won four of her six starts from boxes one, two and three.

Best Bet Irinka Benji (race 10)
Best Value Big Town Mac (race 9)

Quaddie
Race 5 - 4, 3, 2
Race 6 - 1, 4, 8
Race 7 - 1, 9, 2
Race 8 - 1, 2
$20 for 37.03%