TAB Million Dollar Chase winner Good Odds Harada is going as well as ever but trainer Frank Hurst is concerned about his champion's box seven draw in tomorrow (Thursday) night's Ladbrokes NSW Sprint Championship at Wentworth Park.
Good Odds Harada had box four when second, beaten two-and-a-half lengths by Ritza Coen in last Saturday's fastest heat, and while Hurst was delighted with his dog's performance he was hoping for an inside trap in the final.
"His heat run was great because he jumped cleanly and when he was a half-length in front he got smashed by the wide running Nangar Kash, who had box three,'' Hurst said.
"If that had not happened Good Odds Harada would have shot six lengths clear and would have won easily.
"He then had to work hard to regain the lead but got clipped from behind again when surging to the lead leaving the back straight.
"That took a lot out of him so I was very happy with the way he held on to finish second.
"Good Odds Harada has won six of his eight start from box seven but when he did so he was not racing dogs of the calibre of the greyhounds he will be facing in this race.
"I am confident he will jump well but he still has to get across to the fence and in big finals like this I would rather have a rails draw every time.''
Mark Gatt, who trained both Ritza Coen, successful in 29.96, and the other heat winner Ritza Gloria, who recorded 30.08, is happy with Ritza Coen's box two draw.
"I think it is a really good draw even though Ritza Coen had box seven in his heat,'' Gatt said.
"But I have a healthy respect for Good Odds Harada and I thought his run behind Ritza Coen showed he was just about back to his best.''
Ritza Coen has been a revelation in recent weeks and is widely regarded as Sydney's most improved greyhound after winning five of his past six WP races and his most recent six in a row on all tracks.
Good Odds Harada and Ritza Coen boast the quickest WP 520m times, with Harada clocking 29.34 on October 18 and Gatt's greyhound stopping the clock at 29.49 on July 1.
"Good Odds Harada is an awesome greyhound and I think he is the dog to beat in the final. "My dog needs to begin as quickly as he has in most of his races if he is to win.
"He can afford to dwell at the start in ordinary fields but not against the class he will be tackling this week.
"I am happy with Ebby Jet Power's box three draw even though he is not a tight railer and tends to follow the line of the lure going to the first corner.''
Ebby Jet Power has not previously started from box three but has won four his seven races from two and is unbeaten in two appearances from box four.
Melinda Finn, whose husband John trains Ladbrokes NSW Distance Championship hopeful Blue Moon Rising, believes the 720m event will be a keenly contested affair, with the scratching of favourite Good Juan.
"Pearl Of Tahiti and Blue Moon Rising are each boxed where they want to be so it should be a cleanly run race,'' Finn said.
"Blue Moon Rising pulled up well after his win from box three at WP last Saturday, but Kerry Drynan's bitch Pearl Of Tahiti is also ideally boxed in eight,” Finn said.
Blue Moon Rising will be chasing his 44th win in 135 starts while Good Juan has not raced since coming from a long last and winning in 41.96 at WP on August 1.
Pearl Of Tahiti has won three of six appearances from box eight and looked decidedly uncomfortable from box one when last in Blue Moon Rising's race last week.
