Flying Ricciardo, bought at six months old for $7500 at a Richmond Puppy Auction, looks to have a mortgage on Friday night's $40,000 to the winner group 2 Sires On Ice Black Top Final at LADBROKES GARDENS but foremost in trainer Kristy Sultana's mind is to see her champ come through unscathed.
Kristy, sister of Unison's trainer Michelle, who has Left Unsaid in the Black Top, said: "Flying Ricciardo pulled up well after his heat win last week and is ready to go well on Friday, but all I want really is that he gets around safely."
Kristy, a former TAB Young Trainer of the Year award winner, is no stranger to big races, having had Front Index and Tarks Royale in Group 3 finals at Bulli.
Flying Ricciardo looks to very hard to beat in the Black Top after leading throughout to win his heat in 29.17s, just .01s outside Zipping Bailey's 515m track record.
Even rival trainers are in awe of Flying Ricciardo, who seems to be the perfect greyhound, possessing dazzling early speed combined with strength at the finish.
Peter Tobin, who has Star Hotel in the Black Top final, said: "My dog drew box six and to have any hope at all I think he needed to draw inside the faster heat winners, especially Flying Ricciardo.
"Flying Ricciardo is one of the best greyhounds I have seen so Star Hotel will need to ping the lids to have even a glimmer of hope.
"He missed the kick a bit in his heat and he has been doing that lately before showing terrific dash when he hits the ground.
"Early in his career Star Hotel was pinging the lids in 388m and 400m races but at 35kg he is probably too big to expect him to come out running consistently.''
Tobin has Star Hotel's litter brother Hudson Bolt in Friday night's 400m Ladbrokes Red Dog Final with the dog chasing home Bedazzled Babe and Blue Bronte in his heat last week.
All Star Punk, who has drawn the prized rails box in the Black Top, won his heat in 29.49s after trialling only 29.80s there at his first look at the Newcastle course.
"He has the box he needs and when he won his heat he improved a lot on his trial time so he is in with a chance,'' trainer Jimmy Coyle said.
"All Star Punk is a very fast dog and has always been under-rated but he will need to come out fast on Friday because all the speed in the final seems to be among the dogs drawn towards the inside.''
