Preview: Wentworth Park Thursday

Mini Whiskey ran the race of his life to beat all but Good Odds Cobber and Hurricane Reign in a heat of the Group 1 Dapto Megastar last week and only has to repeat that performance to win at Wentworth Park on Thursday night.

At Dapto Mini Whiskey was last away but ran on strongly for third, beaten nearly four lengths by the Gosford Cup winner Good Odds Cobber and Nowra Puppy Classic winner Hurricane Reign, who would each be long odds-on in Thursday's fifth grade Ladbrokes Bet Ticker Stakes.

Mini Whiskey has a near ideal draw in box two on Thursday but wasted the rails draw by bungling the start when second, from box one, to West Rock Casey at Wentworth Park on August 24.

Trainer Keith Pedrana said: "Mini Whiskey's problem is he plays up in the starting boxes.

"He goes backwards and forwards when the lure starts so I'm hoping he is moving up when the boxes open on Thursday.

"Mini Whiskey will be a very good dog once he settles down in the boxes.

"If he can put himself in second or third spot on the back straight on Thursday he should win.

"When he ran second to West Rock Casey at his last Wentworth Park start I think he might have been a bit flat after winning well over 515m at Gosford four nights earlier.''

Mark Gatt has been enjoying a tremendous year and the Thirlmere trainer has three strong prospects at Wentworth Park on Thursday night.

Gatt has Vonnie's Power in box one in the GBOTA Maiden Stakes, Ritza Wotton in box three in the fifth grade Ladbrokes Odds Surge Stakes, and Go Lani to exit box six in the Sponsor A Race Stakes, another 520m fifth class event.

Vonnie's Power clocked 29.89 when second to Deputised at Wentworth Park on August 29 before finishing third to her kennelmate Ritza Wotton at the same track last week.

"Vonnie's Power is actually a shade quicker than Ritza Wotton so I was disappointed with her third placing last Thursday,'' Gatt said.

"But she could have been a bit jaded after her good second a week earlier, when she was having her first 520m hit-out in nearly five months.

"Ritza Wotton is usually a bad box dog and he doesn't usually come out good like he did last week when led all the way from box five.

"Go Lani is a good honest bitch who tries hard every time she races and she is close to scoring her third Wentworth Park win.

"She came out last from box eight when she finished second to Sinaloa Girl at Wenty last Thursday.''

Meniketti will be on trial for a start in the 520m Young Star heats on October 13 when he attempts to maintain his unbeaten Wentworth Park record on Thursday night.

Meniketti has box four in the 520m fifth grade Lids Fly On Ladbrokes Live Stakes, and since winning impressively at Wentworth Park at his first two starts he has won over 525m at Wagga on August 30 and September 6.

Trainer Peter Sims said: "Meniketti's only defeat in five races was when he finished fourth at Temora on August 21, but there were excuses for that loss.

"I put Meniketti in 'cold turkey' at Temora without a run on the track and he did everything wrong.

"But he is still learning and they only way to make them learn is to give them field experience, just trialling them on their own isn't going to help them.

"The final of the Young Star on October 18 is worth $25,000 to the winner and it looks an ideal race for Meniketti as he will be tackling up-and-coming greyhounds his own age.''

Best Bet Mini Whiskey (race 8)

Best Value Go Lani (race 7)

Race 5 - 3, 5 6

Race 6 - 5, 6, 7

Race 7 - 6, 8, 1

Race 8 - 2, 4

$20 for 37.03%