SERIOUS Object pulled up "better than usual'' after his tenacious heat win and trainer Jodie Lord has declared her exciting sprinter ready to run a mighty race in Saturday night's group 1 final of the Ladbrokes National Derby at Wentworth Park.
The Derby is one of the few major races Lord and husband Andy have not won but SERIOUS Object, who goes into the final with seven wins from nine starts, give them their best chance.
At 27 months SERIOUS Object is among the oldest Derby finalists but the dog's inclination to pull up sore has restricted his opportunities on the track.
"He got screwed sideways at the first turn as he was going to the lead in his heat and that caused him to be a bit tender the next morning,'' Jodie Lord said.
"But fortunately he got over that quickly and while his owner Peter Spiteri wanted box eight in the final, box six is okay.
"SERIOUS Object drew box six in his heat win and won at his only previous start from that draw.''
Eagles Nest Egg, who scored his eighth win in 18 starts when he led throughout to win his heat at his Wentworth Park debut, has gone from box one last week to box eight on Saturday night.
Victorian trainer Brendan Pursell said: "Eagles Nest Egg had never seen Wenty before the heats and when Do It, a very smart dog from home was sitting just behind my dog on the top turn, I thought we might be in trouble.
"But Eagles Nest Egg stuck to his stuck really well and while I would have preferred box one again, he has had box eight twice in his career and won both times.
"He might want to veer slightly to the left but I expect him to go fairly straight from the boxes to the first turn.
"There is only about a length-and-a-half covering the entire field so Eagles Nest Egg is going to have to hit the lids properly and hopefully there might be a bit of jamming up towards the inside.''
Unsurprisingly the mighty Wow dominates discussions on Saturday's Group 1 Ladbrokes Paws Of Thunder final, but when he drew box five it kept interest in the race well and truly alive.
Trainer Karina Britton was hoping for box one, seven or eight, but declared box five "next best'' for Wow.
Justin King, whose dog Incapacitated won his heat in 29.46, just .05sec slower than Wow's qualifying time, is cock-a-hoop at having box one.
"Incapacitated has won three from six from boxes seven and eight but in a Group 1 like this he needed to draw inside,'' King said.
"Incapacitated is so strong that I reckon the only finalists he would be struggling to run down are Wow and Ritza Coen.
"I doubt Ritza Coen, who has drawn four, will be in front of my dog early so Wow looks the dog to beat.
"But Zulu Warlord, who has box three, ran the fastest first split of 5.35 in his heat and because he is a wide runner he could help Incapacitated a lot.''
Saturday night's other Group 1 event, the Ladbrokes National Futurity, is wide open but Red Hot Mouse, who was almost not entered for the series, could spring a surprise.
Red Hot Mouse has box four and is expected to be improved by her distant second in Zipping Sapporo's fastest heat.
"I was so disappointed by Red Hot Mouse's fifth at Wentworth Park on January 2 I did not decide to nominate her for the Futurity until the last minute,'' trainer Rod Metselaar said.
"But her heat run was a lot better and on her night Red Hot Mouse is capable of coming out running.
"I think whoever makes the pace in the Futurity will win but while Red Hot Mouse has not been beginning like she can, if she happens to nail the start she has a chance.''
Saturday's Group 2 Summer Distance Plate looks to be a three-way battle between heat winners Run Like Jess (41.91) and Blazing Cartier (42.29) and Stanley Road, who was unlucky when beaten a half head by Run Like Jess.
Stanley Road had box seven in last week's heat and has not won in nine appearances from six, seven or eight, but is undefeated in two starts from box one.
And the Mark Gatt-trained dog will wear the red rug on Saturday night.
