Karma Connie is “three or four lengths better’’ from box one according to trainer Peter Honnery which should make her the greyhound to beat in Friday night’s Rapidvite Gosford To City Final (520m) at Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park.
Karma Connie, who is the only Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park winner in the field, won her Gosford heat on November 18 in 29.85.
Fastest qualifier is Master Trickett, who stopped the clock at 29.79 at Gosford but who has drawn awkwardly in box five and who has been placed just once in five Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park races.
“We’re very excited to have finally got box one with Karma Connie,’’ Honnery said.
“She has only had box one once and on that occasion she was a luckless second to Jason Mackay’s smart dog Zipping Oscar, a winner of two races at Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park, over 515m at The Gardens.
“And while Karma Connie took 29.85 in her heat she had trialled 29.60 at Gosford before that race.
“I really think she is three or four lengths better from the inside and while I expect the three dog, Abunda, to be the likely pacemaker, I think Karma Connie might come home too strongly.’’
Jodie Lord, who has eight live chances at Friday night’s Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park meeting, has nominated short course dog Yale">Yale as her standout prospect.
Yale, who is coming off a tenacious box eight win over 310m at Canberra last Sunday, has box one in the Wentworthpark.com.au Stakes (280m).
At the dog’s only Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park outing he bungled the start from box eight in a similar race on October 3, but Lord believes box one will make a huge difference this time out.
“Yale can begin quickly and from the rails I expect him to come out running,’’ Lord said.
“I really think he will win, although I give a few of my other starters strong chances as well.’’
Lord has a busy night and likes the chanes of a couple of her greyhounds.
“I expect Zipping Zoro to go well as I have only had him in my kennels for about a month but he is chasing really keenly, is suitably drawn near the rails, and is down in grade,’’ Lord said.
“Cawbourne Rev is another who is racing well and who has a good draw and while Cawbourne Power tends to get back in the field early, this looks a nice race for him.’’
But Friday night’s best bet should be the Ken Burnett-trained Chilli Sierra, who has box three in the 2nd Ladbrokes Sprint.
Chilli Sierra has contested top grade and fourth grade events at her past five outings at Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park and Dapto and will relish dropping back to mixed fourth and fifth class company this week.
She is racing extremely well and after leading throughout to win at Dapto on November 6 and 13 she showed good early speed before chasing home Queen Esther, Ritza Hattie and Zipping Zoro at Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park last Friday night.
Chilli Sierra boasts the impressive strike rate of nine wins from just 23 appearances and the tiny 24.5kg bitch is well positioned close to the rails in box three.
For Wentworth Park Friday fields, form and expert tips, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Selections:
Best Bet: Chilli Sierra (Race 6)
Best Value: Cawbourne Rev (Race 2)
Quaddie: Race 5 – 1, 7
Race 6 – 3, 1
Race 7 – 2, 5, 3
Race 8 – 5, 4, 8
$20 for 55.55%
