Australia's fastest greyhound My Bro Fabio contests his eagerly anticipated first Wentworth Park race on Saturday night and Jamie Ennis, whose wife Brooke trains the champion, expects Sydney fans to see him at his best.
My Bro Fabio has box three in heat three of NSW’s richest race, the Group 1 Golden Easter Egg, and Ennis is happy with the draw.
“People keep saying My Bro Fabio wants an outside box but that is absolute rubbish,’’ Ennis said.
“Lately he has kept drawing box seven or eight but that doesn’t mean that’s where he wants to be.
“My Bro Fabio had box one when he broke the track record at Canberra and had box one when he won in 29.60 at The Meadows.
“He stays in line with where he draws.
“When he trialled 29.37 at Wentworth Park last Saturday night he was an inch off the rails going through the first turn.
“The only way he gets beaten is when another dog does something bad to him in the early stages.
“But My Bro Fabio is better off racing top notchers like he is meeting these days because those dogs hold their line better than low graders who tend to run around a bit.
“My Bro Fabio’s only flaw is he lacks a metre of early speed.
“But the Easter Egg heats are a great scenario for him because he doesn’t have to win to go into the semi-finals and he usually manages to run no worse than second, no matter what happens in running.’’
Dyna Villa was run down by Azza Azza Azza at Shepparton on Monday but trainer Jenny Hunt says the dog is going as well as ever.
Dyna Villa has box eight in heat one of the Easter Egg and is unbeaten in five races wearing the pink rug, while he is also undefeated in two Wentworth Park starts.
“He is better on a two turn track such as Wentworth Park than a one turn course like Shepparton,’’ Hunt said.
“Dyna Villa accelerates when he goes around the bends but on big tracks he tends to paddle a bit on the straights.’’
Victorian trainer Andrea Dailly will have her customary huge Group race representation on Saturday night, with her first top chance looking to be Allen Deed in heat two of the Egg.
“He had a few problems when he came home from Perth last month but looks better this week than he has in a long while,’’ Dailly said.
“Box seven will suit him - he likes it out there.
“Dyna Nico (pictured, green rug) has box five in heat four but boxes don’t worry her because she is such a good beginner and she loves Wentworth Park.
“Crackerjack Max has box five in heat five and while he produced a first split of 5.36 and won in 29.79 at Wenty on January he hasn’t been beginning as smartly in recent starts.
“Dyna Double One, who has box five in heat six, was a great second at his only Wentworth Park race in January and he is flying.
“He went to Sandown on Sunday and despite never having seen the track before he won in 29.36.
“Fernando Bale has box six in heat seven and he is going as well as when he won the National Derby at Wenty.
“He won in 25.32 over 460m at Geelong on Friday so he is fine.’’
Team Dailly will also be represented by the ultra consistent Kerrigan Bale in heat 10.
She is chasing her fourth win in six Wentworth Park outings.
Fernando Bale faces the toughest heat, with Azza Azza Azza in box one and WA’s Australian Cup runner-up Quartz Bale in two.
Azza Azza Azza almost fell as he exited the boxes in a solo trial at Wentworth Park on March 7 but has since given Dyna Villa a start and a beating over 450m at Shepparton.
“Azza Azza Azza is probably a shade better on big one turn tracks but he can handle two turn circuits and I’m happy with box one,’’ trainer Wayne Vassallo said. “Providing he begins cleanly he should be hard to beat.’’
Azza Azza Azza boasts the remarkable strike rate of 22 wins from 33 starts, as does Australian Cup winner Luca Neveelk (heat five) who has saluted the judge on 27 of 36 occasions.
For Wentworth Park Saturday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth Park Saturday picks:
Best Bet: Hostile (Race 8)
Best Value: Crackerjack Max (race 5)
Quaddie: Race 5 – 5, 7
Race 6 – 5, 2, 4
Race 7 – 1, 6, 2
Race 8 – 1, 7, 2
$20 for 37.03%
