Rails Draw Sees Smoke Back In The Winners Circle

A return to a rails draw was the reason Ritza Smoke bounced back into the winning list at Wentworth Park on Saturday night according to trainer Mark Gatt.

After Ritza Smoke led throughout to win a 520m fifth grade in 29.96, Gatt pointed out that the dog had not drawn closer to the rails than box five in each of his previous seven Wentworth Park appearances.

"He is a much better dog off an inside box and the change of luck in the draw made all the difference tonight,'' Gatt said.

"I tried him over 600m at Dapto on July 18 but that run, when he finished third, took a lot out of him.

"So I gave him a month off after that and he has come back good.''

Ritza Smoke boasts a marvellous record from inside draws, winning five of his eight races from boxes one and two.

Embrace took her earnings to over $244,000 with a runaway win in her first Masters race appearance at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.

Embrace notched her 16th Wentworth Park win when she sped down the outside of the track to head off Lady Divine going into the first corner and won by over five lengths in 29.96.

After the race trainer Craig Chappelow said: "The race was run to suit Embrace because the track was a bit sloppy on the rails, where Lady Divine was, but it was a lot better out where my bitch was racing.

"The outside of the track was like concrete compared to the inside.

"Embrace had her fourth birthday last Monday to become eligible for tonight's race.''

Chappelow's father Ken said: "Embrace is never keen to leave her kennel at home, she always looks at us as if to say, do I have to go?

"But once we arrive at Wentworth Park she is all business, she is a truly professional race bitch.''

Jay Opetaia has always had a huge opinion of Swift Challenge and the dog fulfilled his owner-trainer's faith with an impressive all-the-way win in a smart 29.86 in Saturday's Ladbrokes Bet Ticker final.

Swift Challenge will now tackle either next month's heats of the Million Dollar Chase at Wentworth Park or the Young Star series at the same course.

My Baroque Love handled box one perfectly when she scored her first Wentworth Park win on August 29 but proved equally at home from box seven on Saturday when she took advantage of a first-turn scrimmage to win again, this time in 30.25.

Pacemaker Trunkey Mink was skittled crossing to the rails from box five, giving My Baroque Love a dream run down the outside to hit the front going through the catching pen.

The winner's trainer Tess Simmons said: "My Baroque Love seems to have lost a bit of her early pace but she is now stronger at the finish.

"I'm considering stepping her out to a middle distance shortly.''