Brendan Pursell, who took out the Million Dollar Chase final with McInerney in September, 2022, believes Cruising Debbie is the better prospect of his two runners in Saturday night's Ladbrokes MDC City Qualifiers at Wentworth Park.
The Victorian trainer said: "Cruising Debbie only trialled 29.94 at Wentworth Park last week but she has early pace and is a good beginner.
"She has box two but I would have preferred her drawn in the middle of the track because she gets a bit wide early.
"KING OWEN, who trialled 29.90 last week at Wentworth Park, is going well but I've brought him more as a travelling companion for Cruising Debbie because he is a slow beginner.
"Because of that KING OWEN always needs luck in his races.''
Boom WA greyhound Bezzecchi, who clocked a fast 29.67 in a solo trial at Wentworth Park on September 21, has box four in heat four of the MDC City Qualifiers.
"I gave him another look at the track on Monday with a box-to-box hit-out and he went well without setting the world on fire,'' caretaker trainer Finn said.
Victorian trainer Jeff Britton, who has won group one races in Sydney, rates House Of Turbo, who has box four in heat eight, as clearly the best hope of his four MDC prospects on Saturday night.
"House Of Turbo is the reason I'm coming to Sydney because he ran fifth to Good Odds Cobber in a National Derby heat at Wentworth Park in January and trialled well there last week,'' Britton said.
"He is a dead-set front-runner so is always in with a chance but he seems to be in one of the toughest qualifiers, up against another good Melbourne greyhound, Lakeview Emily.''
Britton's other entries are Mepunga Shine (box two, heat two), MACKINAW PEACH (box six, heat four) and TULLY LUNA (box eight, heat five).
"Mepunga Shine has had plenty of experience at Wentworth Park and is going okay, MACKINAW PEACH is fast early but there needs to be trouble behind her for her to win, while TULLY LUNA has drawn horribly, she wants an inside box badly.''
Victorian trainer Mark Delbridge, whose dog Yachi Bale finished sixth in Jay Is Jay's 2023 Million Dollar Chase final, has Elite Alex in box six in heat two and CAIN BALE in box one in heat three.
"They both have a chance as Elite Alex made this year's Golden Easter Egg final at Wentworth Park but got wiped out on the first turn,'' Delbridge said.
"CAIN BALE has not seen Wentworth Park but he invariably races well at his first run on a track and is perfectly boxed.''
Brooke and Jamie Ennis, who won the 2014 Golden Easter Egg at Wentworth Park with Tonk, have Zipping Grylls in box five of the sixth MDC City Qualifier.
"She is very good but has no early pace and is a natural stayer,'' Jamie Ennis said.
"Ella's Babe likes to circle her opponents so if she finds the outside early she will be hard to beat, although Jason Mackay's dog Exploded looks a tough rival.''
This is virtually a dress rehearsal for the $40,000 to the winner Group 2 Sydney Cup at Wentworth Park on October 18, with the talented Jeff Britton-trained Mepunga Surprise in box seven and the Victorian-owned but Sydney-trained CANYA AMY, ideally placed in box one, looking other threats to Exploded's unbeaten Wenty tally.
OMEGA TRAVIS' marvellous Wentworth Park record of eight wins and six placings from 20 appearances points to the JODIE Lord-trained dog being Saturday's best bet when he exits box three in the first MDC City Qualifier.
