While the return clash of Black Magic Opal and his Hobart Thousand nemesis Paw Licking is the highlight of tonight's Warragul Cup, trainer Joe Borg has warned not to dismiss rising star Deadly Vane from the winning chances.
Black Magic Opal (pictured) will start the 460m Group 2 event from box seven while Paw Licking is perfectly placed in box one, from where he remains unbeaten in five starts.
Black Magic Opal won his heat in 25.62 while Paw Licking was surprisingly run down by Walk Hard (box five) in a track record 25.46.
In the TAB fixed odds market on the race Black Magic Opal is the $1.90 favourite with Paw Licking at $4.
The second favourite is Deadly Vane ($3.20), who powered away to win his heat in a fast 25.57 and has drawn nicely in box two for tonight's assignment.
"Both Black Magic Opal and Paw Licking have drawn well and will be very hard to beat," Borg said.
"But my bloke is a good pup and only ran a length outside the old track record in his heat, and just under two lengths off the new track record."
Deadly Vane has only had 13 career starts and had his first taste of group racing in last year's Ballarat Cup where he won his heat before finishing fifth behind Ronan Izmir in the final on December 4.
He also contested the Group 1 Silver Chief at The Meadows where he won his heat and semi-final, before finishing fifth to Ollie Bale in the final on January 4.
"I think those efforts justified me putting him in group races at such a young age," Borg said.
"With that experience under his belt I believe he is a much better dog now.
"In his last couple of trials and then in his heat at Warragul he has come out really well so I'm hoping he comes out as quick in the final.
"He's a very strong dog and the key to him is to be within a length to a length-and-a-half from the two star dogs in the race.
"If he is then I'm confident he will be able to run them down, because his run home time this week will be a lot better than it was last Sunday.
"If he's any further back than that then he can't run them down because they are going to be carving out some unbelievable sectionals.
"He actually turns two years old on Sunday so a win would be a nice birthday present for him."
Best Bet: Bottom Dollar (Race 6)
Best Value: Makedonia (Race 7)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 4, 1
Race 6 - 3 4
Race 7 - 5, 6, 3, 1
Race 8 - 7, 2, 1
$20 for 41.66%
