Tiny In The Sky will exit box one for the first time in her 21-race career at Richmond on Wednesday night and trainer Jay Opetaia could not be happier.
In The Sky, who weighs a mere 24kg, led throughout from box five to win her Heat of the Ladbrokes Richmond Oaks in a smart 29.70 before finishing seventh, from box six, in Shanghai Suzie's 29.76 final last Friday.
Jay Opetaia said: "In the final, my bitch did not begin quite as well as she can and My Hepburn, who is a bit bigger, was drawn on her outside and just pushed her out of the way soon after the start.''
In The Sky drops from Group 2 class to fifth grade in Wednesday's Race Sponsorships Stakes and her trainer said: "She has never drawn box one but she is ideally positioned on Wednesday.
In The Sky
"Providing she gets away cleanly she should lead around the first turn and if she hits the front I don't think they will catch her.''
PENRITH's Stuart Barron has enjoyed success as a hobby trainer for the past two decades but is planning to widen his greyhound interests and is establishing a property in the Newcastle area.
Among his first purchases towards going professional is Zipping Ada, who will have her second start for Barron in Wednesday night's first Heat of the GRNSW Middle Distance Series, a 622m fifth grade.
Zipping Ada is a daughter of Zipping Bailey, the 2019 Golden Easter Egg winner, and Barron bought her with a view of creating a good breeding line.
In the meantime, he believes Zipping Ada will develop into a stayer after her strong finishing second behind Wentworth Park winner Ritza Trish over 622m at Richmond last Friday.
"Because I was the victim of circumstances Zipping Ada had a poor preparation for that race,'' Barron explained.
"I had nominated her for a 560m event at Muswellbrook but that race was not programmed after only five entries were received.
"Rather than have her sitting in the kennel I threw her into the Richmond 622 race but she wasn't fully wound up for that longer event.
"Zipping Ada has box eight on Wednesday but I haven't had her long enough to know whether that box will suit her or whether she would be better off from an inside draw.''
Heat two of the GRNSW Middle Distance Series, which carries an $8000 first prize for the March 13 final, sees the Richmond 622m return of Lady Exit, who has had two wins and four placings over the trip.
None of her rivals on Wednesday has bettered Lady Exit's best Richmond 622m figures of 35.76 and while she has box six trainer Simon Ma is encouraged by his bitch having a vacant box on her left.
"That should help her a lot,'' Ma said.
"Lady Exit's last start was when she finished fifth over 520m at Wentworth Park on February 21 and her run that night was okay.
"She began smartly but unfortunately she just doesn't have enough early pace to go with sprinters to the first turn.
"Lady Exit is much more at home over a middle distance and since Wenty I believe she has had enough work to run a solid 622m.
"Having said that, I think whatever she does on Wednesday she will improve upon in the final.''
Lady Exit
While In The Sky is Wednesday's stand-out bet, the best value looms in race nine where promising speedster She's A Star exits box five in the Flying Ricciardo At Stud Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
