Ausure Ultra Sense (G3)

Hot Ultra Sense Heats On Friday

By Jeff Collerson
He is a greyhound enigma but trainer Mark Gatt believes Leg Speed has the draw to take out Friday night's first heat of the listed Ausure Ultra Sense at Wentworth Park.

Named after the winner of the inaugural 1990 Golden Easter Egg, the Ultra Sense is for fifth graders and features a $25,000 to the winner final on April 20.

Leg Speed's clash with Jason Magri's Zipping Optimise promises to be one of the highlights of Friday night's card, with Leg Speed boasting a personal best Wentworth Park time of 29.63 compared with Zipping Optimise's 29.39.

But Zipping Optimise posted his sizzling time from box one and has drawn awkwardly in box six on Friday, while Leg Speed has box three.

Leg Speed's trainer Mark Gatt said: "I like his draw on Friday as he is a slow beginner and I think the dogs in boxes one and two should get out of his way early while the four and the five dogs might give him room to move.

"There could be a lane there for him coming out of the first turn.''

Leg Speed's box manners have resulted in the talented dog winning just four of 28 Wentworth Park starts but he has filled 14 placings and goes into Friday's race following a blistering Dapto 600m win in 34.29 late last month.

"He will go into Friday's race nice and fresh as Leg Speed has since had a hit-out up the straight Appin and light work at my kennels at home,'' Gatt said.

Luke Kilby has held a trainer's licence since 2008 and is hoping to land his first Wentworth Park winner when No Shares exits box eight in heat five of the Ultra Sense.

No Shares has had only four starts, winning each of his past two outings over 515m at Ladbrokes Gardens in smart times.

"He hasn't raced at Wentworth Park but he clocked a smart 24.21 in a post-to-post slip there and then I put him out of the starting boxes and was happy when he ran 29.90,'' Kilby said.

"Since then he has had a post-to-post at The Gardens and he went terrific,  clocking 24.40.

"I don't think No Shares will mind box eight, he will run straight to the first bend.''

Another greyhound who looks suited in box eight on Friday is the Charmaine Roberts-trained Camilla Keeping, who will wear the pink jacket in heat three of the Ultra Sense.

Camilla Keeping clocked 29.75 and 29.58 winning at Wentworth Park in December and January but took a tumble at her last start there on January 20.

Shayne Stiff, trainer Charmaine Roberts' partner, said: "Charmaine likes Camilla Keeping from box eight and the greyhound has had a couple of hand-slips at Wenty recently to ensure her confidence is okay.

"She has also had a couple of 400m trials at Dubbo but she could be one run short as far as race fitness goes.

"My concern with box eight at Wenty is the chance that while dogs can be suited there, they can also miss the kick sometimes when they draw the extreme outside.''

Trainer Michael "Bobby" Hodges admits he was surprised Salad Dodger, who has drawn box six in heat six of the Ultra Sense, was eligible for the fifth grade series.

Salad Dodger has won 27 races but is making his Wentworth Park debut and his first appearance for Hodges.

"I started training him just after his last start at Temora on March 10 and have given him a post-to-post slip at Wenty,'' Hodges said.

"I would have liked to have given him another trial at the track but the wet weather ruined that chance.

"But considering he has had 66 starts Salad Dodger should have experience on his side on Friday.''

Salad Dodger | Photo: Clint Anderson GRV


Best Bet Leg Speed (race 1)
Best Value No Shares (race 5)

Quaddie
Race 5 - 8, 4, 1
Race 6 - 8, 6, 5
Race 7 - 2, 1, 5
Race 8 - 4, 6
$20 for 37.03%