Good Odds Cobber set a clear time standard in Friday night's heats of the Group 1 Ladbrokes National Derby but when the 29.33 heat winner from box one drew six in the final next Saturday's race was opened up considerably.
The Frank Hurst-trained Good Odds Cobber led throughout to win his heat from box one and posted slick early splits of 5.36 and 13.63 before running home in 11.66.
Although Good Odds Cobber moved off the track slightly on the first corner on Friday, trainer Hurst was hoping for box one in the final.
"He tends to get a bit wide on the first bend because he absolutely launches himself into the corner,'' Hurst declared.
Good Odds Cobber looking very pleased with himself after his heat win
His great mate Neville Brown's dog Eyes To Eyes produced a sensational opening split of 5.30 to lead throughout in his heat, covering the 520m in 29.70.
"I wasn't surprised he went so fast early but I was disappointed with Eyes To Eyes' run home time,'' Brown said.
After his dog drew seven in the final, Brown added: "I think I needed to be drawn inside Good Odds Cobber to win the final, I don't think my bloke can go around Frank Hurst's dog and beat him.''
The second fastest heat winner was Bianca's Boy, who surprised by leading all the way from box one and winning in 29.63, with a best of the heats run home time of 11.56.
Trained by veteran Ray Sims, Bianca's Boy made full use of box one in his heat and Sims was delighted to see him draw box two in the final.
"He needed one or two to have any hope,'' Sims said.
The other heat winners were You Never Lose in 29.91 and Luai Banner in 30.10, but the big run by the placed division was History's Coming's effort to be runner-up to Good Odds Cobber.
History's Coming had not raced at Wentworth Park and was a fifth grader going into his Derby heat, but chased Good Odds Cobber all the way and went down by just under five lengths.
Michelle Sultana, trainer of You Never Lose, was hoping for an inside box so would be disappointed with box eight, but the happiest trainer after the Derby final draw was Jason Magri, whose dog Blue Falcon drew box one.
Blue Falcon had box seven when he ran home solidly to finish just under a length behind You Never Lose in his heat and will be far better suited from the rails next Saturday.
"He just needs to find a couple of tenths,'' quipped trainer Jason Magri after Blue Falcon came up with box one.
"But he got held up slightly going through the pen tonight so he gets his chance from the rails in the final.''
Interstate visitors crashed out of the Derby but Victorian bitch Aunt Virginia looks to have a stranglehold on the Group 1 National Futurity final after leading all the way in her heat in 29.59.
The other heats were taken out by the Minnie Finn-trained pair Gets Late Early in 29.75 and Ain't Waiting in 29.90, while Jason Magri's Zipping Teresa, one of the pre-post Futurity favorites, won the other heat in 30.04.
Hardest for Aunt Virginia to beat in the final could be History's Coming's kennelmate and litter sister Hurricane Reign, who reeled off an opening split of 5.30 before being beaten a half-length in 29.75 by Gets Late Early.
Hurricane Reign has drawn box one in the Futurity final while Aunt Virginia has box five, with Ain't Waiting and Gets Late Early in two and three respectively.
