Race five at Wentworth ParkTonight is a modest midweek fifth grade but it promises to provide a thrilling duel between the ideally drawn Aston Reward and last week's sensational winner ZIPPING Kyrgios.
Aston Reward is ideally positioned in box one in the Congratulations ZIPPING Sapporo Stakes, a 520m fifth grade, while ZIPPING-kyrgios">ZIPPING Kyrgios is suitably placed in box seven _ providing he can avoid Murdoch Keeping (box eight) at the start.
Aston Reward led throughout from box one in a Wentworth Park fifth grade last Wednesday, running early splits of 5.51 and 14.01 before covering the 520m in 30.00.
At the same meeting ZIPPING Kyrgios finally 'nailed' the start in a similar grade and led all the way, "running the hands off the clock'' in 29.37 after posting first and second splits of 5.43 and 13.74.
ZIPPING Kyrgios' time is believed to have put the youngster among the 11 fastest greyhounds to race at Wentworth Park since 2013.
Shakey Jakey set the track record of 29.07 in April, 2014, while the great Victorian Fernando Bale won in 29.26 in August, 2015 after winning in 29.34 five months earlier, and Benali, another Victorian, clocked 29.29 in September, 2018.
Frank Hurst's Good Odds Harada, recently retired to stud, stopped the clock at 29.34 in October, 2019, while Zulu Zeus posted 29.32 in August, 2013, with Jason Magri's ZIPPING Zeek running 29.35 in July, 2020, and Shoulders and Hooksy each recording 29.36 in mid 2014.
Other sub-29.40 winners have been Jack Smith's Brad Hill Billy (29.37, August, 2015) and the JODIE Lord-trained Cawbourne Whip (29.38, May, 2014).
Although times obviously favour ZIPPING Kyrgios Tonight, the box draw could tip the scales towards Aston Reward.
Her trainer Jason MACKAY said: "Aston Reward is a big, almost 34kg bitch who has been slow to mature, she is still learning.
"But I am waiting for her to run 29.80 or 29.85 at Wentworth Park because I'm sure she is capable of doing so.''
Melinda Finn, whose husband John trains ZIPPING Kyrgios, said: "A lot of people reckon that dogs which clock record or near record times are 'flat' for their next run but our dogs are super fit and a so-called gut-busting run doesn't affect them.
"Last Thursday morning, a few hours after he won in 29.37, ZIPPING Kyrgios was jumping around like a spring chicken, he could have raced again that night.
"But he has drawn seven and I am worried about him being hampered early by Murdoch Keeping, who has box eight and has good early pace.''
Although Murdoch Keeping races wide on the first turn at Wentworth Park, when he drew box six at Wentworth Park on January 6 he veered sharply to the left at the start, colliding heavily with the dog in box five.
Jason MACKAY came home from Wentworth Park last Wednesday with a 100 per cent winning record, landing wins with each of his three starters, and he has high hopes for both Aston Reward and ZIPPING Sense Tonight.
ZIPPING Sense has box five in the Ladbrokes Back Yourself Stakes, a 520m fifth grade, and is having her second start at Wentworth Park after leading throughout on debut there last week in 30.18.
"She led all the way last Wednesday but is a lot better than the time she clocked would suggest,'' MACKAY said.
"ZIPPING Sense had only seen Wenty in a post-to-post hand-slip and her time in that trial was nothing flash because she was grinding her way through the turns.
"She improved a lot at her next run after that and she always improves with two or three looks at a new track.
"I can guarantee see is a lot better than being a 30.18 greyhound.''
Tonight's best value bet should be Pink Lilly, who qualified for the group 1 Ladbrokes National Futurity final and plunges to fourth and fifth grade in Tonight's seventh event, where she will carry the red rug.
