A Win And Everyone Can Drink Moet

By Jeff Collerson
Drink Moet should only need a clear passage from box five to register her seventh win in nine starts in Wednesday's 400m Ladbrokes Free-For-All at Richmond.

Trainer Michelle Sultana is enjoying an unprecedented run of success and with a personal best Richmond time of 22.34 Drink Moet is by far the quickest 400m winner in the field of six.

Drink Moet won six races in a row before finishing third in a particularly strong Dapto 520m Free-For-All on July 24 before being unlucky when a strong finishing third over 400m at Bulli on July 31.

At Bulli Drink Moet began well enough from box two but was badly hampered and pushed back to near the tail of the field at the first turn.

After being fifth coming to the home turn she finished powerfully to go down by just under seven lengths to Hardaway Ranger, who covered the 400m in near record time of 22.09.


While Drink Moet shapes up at Wednesday's best bet, there should be good value in Giarre, a certainty beaten when fourth at his most recent 330m Richmond appearance last Wednesday.

Giarre went into that race as the winner of eight 330m races at the Londonderry course, boasting a personal best time of a flying 18.57.

None of Giarrre's rivals in Wednesday's 330m South Windsor Butchery Stakes has gone as quick and Michael Nicolaou, whose wife Rita trains the greyhound, likes their dog's box two draw.

"Giarre had box eight last week and another dog took him out of the race completely in the early stages,'' Nicolaou said.

"Giarre, who is named after the village in Sicily where my wife comes from, is better suited from an inside box which is why I'm happy with his draw this week.''

Hardest for Giarre to beat is likely to be Boaz, a winner of five from nine races and unbeaten in two Richmond 330m tests.

"Boaz is not long back after recovering from hip support and groin injuries but while he should be thereabouts I don't think we will see the best of him for two or three weeks,'' trainer Ricky Brewer said.


Another greyhound resuming after an injury enforced spell is Wyndsor Rose, who is having her first race in seven months in Wednesday's 400m Bess Electrical Stakes.

Wyndsor Rose reached top grade over 520m at Wentworth Park when last in work and trainer Justin King believes she has come back really well.

"Because she had been sidelined for so long I had to trial her at Richmond last Wednesday and she recorded a very smart 18.68 over 330m,'' King said.

"The distance of this race will suit her and from the 400m starting point I think she is nicely placed in box eight.''

King has qualified with two greyhounds in Wednesday's 400m Maiden Final but leans to My Apologies (box six) ahead of Below Zero (box two).

My Apologies goes into the race as fastest qualifier after his strong finishing 22.94 heat win and King believes he can score again.

"He handled box five nicely in his heat and from box six in the final he should run straight and be okay,'' King said.

Andrew Bell, Richmond's leading trainer for 2020 and the pacemaker again this year, has a dozen starters but plumps for Go Go Chicago, Good Odds Reward and It's A Moment as his top prospects.

"I especially like Good Odds Reward, who had box seven when fourth at Richmond on Saturday night and is better positioned in two in the 330m Castlewood Kitchens Stakes,'' Bell said.

"On Saturday Good Odds Reward had box seven in a strong field and after jumping well he just could not get across to the rails.

"With another clean start I think he is capable of clocking 18.50 or 18.60 and winning.

"Go Go Chicago, who has box four in the 330m Kevin Waters Towing Stakes, did nothing at his first few runs for me but last Friday, when it seems to suddenly click, he won, so if he does that again he will be hard to beat.

"It's A Moment is a hit or miss beginner but is going well and if he gets away cleanly from box five in the Bess Electrical Stakes he has a good chance.''

Best Bet Drink Moet (race 1)

Best Value Giarre (race 9)

Quaddie race 5 - 6, 3, 4

Race 6 - 2, 3, 5

Race 7 - 6, 7, 3

Race 8 - 8, 5

$20 for 37.03%