Plans to return Nangar Silk to owner Dennis Barnes' kennels after her sizzling all-the-way win in a heat of the group 1 Ladbrokes Peter Mosman Opal were abandoned and she has remained with trainer DAVE Irwin for Saturday night's $75,000 to the winner final at Wentworth Park.
"I sent her to DAVE because there were a couple of worthwhile Ladbrokes-sponsored races at Grafton and then he brought her to Sydney for the Opal heats,'' Barnes said.
"DAVE wanted me to take her home last Saturday but I decided it was risky to change Nangar Silk's routine on the eve of the final.
Irwin said: "I don't think going home with Dennis would have affected Nangar Silk because she is his mate, but he believed it was better for me to keep her.
"Nangar Silk goes into Saturday's race with the fastest sectional times and I'm hoping this week she will get to the line more strongly than she did in her heat.
"At 22 months of age she is the baby of the field but we decided to put her in this race because she was going to be a fortnight too old for the next Wentworth Park bitches' classic, the National Futurity, in January.
"Last week Nangar Silk was having her first test over 520m so she should get stronger.
"Her chances depend on what happens with Lilly Banner, who has box seven while we have drawn eight.
"Lilly Banner could give Nangar Silk a good 'cart' across but if she is in front of us at the first turn she might get in our way.''
On times Tommy Shelby should win Saturday night's Group 1 Ladbrokes Vic Peters Classic from box two but his trainer Steve Withers remains in awe of rival Catch The Thief, who has box five.
Tommy Shelby trialled at Wentworth Park on June 27, posting slick sectional times of 5.49, 13.86 and 17.96 en route to 29.63 for the 520m trip.
Last Saturday he slashed those figures to 5.33, 13.61 and 17.68 before setting the time standard for the Classic heats at 29.44.
"He had box seven last Saturday but I am happier with his final draw because Tommy Shelby prefers an inside box,'' trainer Steve Withers said.
"But on their form at Cannington, Catch The Thief is quicker than Tommy Shelby and I think he just had a bit of an off night at Wenty in his heat.
"If Catch The Thief gets it right this Saturday he is going to be awfully hard to beat, while Ebby Jet Power, who has box eight in the final, was only a length slower than Tommy Shelby throughout the heats.
"Ebby Jet Power looks nicely boxed because there is not a lot of early pace among the dogs drawn inside him except for Simply Smudge, in box six, and he is likely to go left in the run to the first turn.''
Victoria's Matt Clark, who trains Catch The Thief, also has Playlist in box one in the Vic Peters and rates their chances equally.
"I was so excited when Playlist drew the red box because he had box six in his heat and carved across towards the rails, finishing third but making the race for Tommy Shelby, who had drawn seven,'' Clark said.
"Catch The Thief is no more than two lengths faster than Playlist and 'two out' I reckon Playlist would be capable of beating him.
"Catch The Thief will be a better dog this week than he was in the heats but don't be surprised if box one doesn't get Playlist home, because he has won three of his four races from the rails alley.''
