Toodles Jack (pictured above) had just over four lengths to spare when he downed Make Them Cry in their heat but trainer Peter Lagogiane believes his runner-up can turn the tables in Saturday night's GBOTA Maiden Final at Wentworth Park.
In the May 17 heats, Toodles Jack took the lead at the first turn and after being joined by Make Them Cry entering the back straight, gradually drew away to win comfortably in 29.80.
Mount Parnis gave trainer Beau Micallef his first Wentworth Park winner when he came from fourth going through the pen to win the other heat by a half head from Trixie Mahack in 30.37.
In that race Surroundings, another Peter Lagogiane-trained newcomer, led clearly to the home turn but faded in the straight and was a head away in third position.
Surroundings has box one in Saturday's final while Make Them Cry has drawn three with fastest qualifier Toodles Jack awkwardly placed in box five.
Before the box draw trainer Syd Swain said: "Toodles Jack has trialled 29.60 at Wenty so his 29.80 heat time did not surprise me.
"If he draws box one in the final I think he is a certainty but he wants an inside alley.''
Peter Lagogiane said: "Make Them Cry is a bit quicker than Surroundings.
"I think Make Them Cry is capable of running 29.80 at Wentworth Park while 30sec flat would probably pull up Surroundings.
"I expect Make Them Cry to improve on her second placing in her heat because in that race she was tackling 520m for the first time.''
Lagogiane could land a double on Saturday as he is keen on the chances of Wild Sylvia, who has box three in the 520m fifth grade Sponsor A Race Stakes.
Wild Sylvia was run down by Classy Shakira in a low-grade heat at Wentworth Park on May 11 before chaSing that greyhound throughout when second, beaten two lengths, in last Saturday's final.
"Wild Sylvia stuck on a lot better last Saturday than she did the week before, in fact, I thought her effort in the final was enormous,'' Lagogiane said.
"I believe she is my best winning chance this week.''
She's A Bumpy led throughout from box eight to win at her Wentworth Park debut last Saturday in 29.99 but has drawn far better in box one in Saturday night's Hunter's Hill Rugby Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
"Gee, she can sure draw box one can't she?'' trainer Nathan Goodwin said.
"She's A Bumpy drew box one in six successive races in January, February, and March and has won six of her seven starts wearing the red rug.
"Ritza Smoke looks the obvious danger on Saturday night but unless my bitch bungles the start, which would be out of character for her, she should take a lot of catching.
"She pulled up a treat after her Wentworth Park win last Saturday and had gone quite a bit quicker than her 29.99 winning time in a previous trial at the track.''
Sin Rap Explode has not started Since being unplaced in the final of the Ladbrokes 715 at The Gardens on May 3 but is ready to win Saturday night's 720m Ladbrokes Odds Surge Stakes.
Trainer Shaun Parnis said: "After The Gardens race I gave her a week off but a few days ago I gave Sin Rap Explode a post-to-post trial at Dapto and she went pretty good.
"I'm happy with her condition and think she will handle box seven okay because she likes to use a bit of the track.
"Saturday's fifth grade represents a huge drop in class for Sin Rap Explode because she has won only four races but has been forced to tackle the best stayers in Australia in order to get runs.''
Hardest for Sin Rap Explode to beat looms as PAYBACK, trained in Victoria by Terry Reid.
PAYBACK has had only seven races for two wins and while she has not won beyond 595m Terry Reid said: "She will run 720m on her ear.
"She has been placed over 650m and is as strong as a lion.''
On his last trip to Wentworth Park Reid was training Ronray Spirit, a winner of 26 races, who was runner-up to Dyna Double One in a Golden Easter Egg semi-final in April, 2015.
"Only reason I haven't been back is because I have not had a dog good enough to take across the road, let alone to Sydney,'' Reid said.
"PAYBACK is not two years old until next month and is still learning but she is promiSing and is a born stayer.''
