Group Two Bob Payne Spring Sprint Heats Preview
Group racing action will return to Wentworth Park tonight, with four heats of the Group Two Bob Payne Spring Sprint to be conducted.
Last week's Group One Dapto Megastar winner Tommy Brislane and runner-up Ritza Hattie will line up in heat three and four respectively. Group One National Sprint Champion Chica Destacada returns to Wentworth Park for the first time since her National's victory over in Perth and Peter Mosman Classic winner Bessy Boo will start in heat three after returning to her winning ways at headquarters last Saturday night.
In heat one, Cawbourne Whip returns to Wentworth Park after finishing runner-up in last week's Canberra Cup. She has a sizzling personal best of 29.38 at this track and despite a hindering box six draw will be hard to beat. The Jodie Lord trained chaser has a good Wentworth Park record of six wins and two minor placings from fourteen starts.
Shoulders unfortunately came out on his nose in last week's Dapto Megastar final, however look for a much-improved performance on Saturday night. This beautifully bred son of Cosmic Rumble and Bit Stressed flew around the 520m distance last month, recording a time of 29.36. Anthony Azzopardi's chaser will have to overcome a box seven draw, but will only need a clean getaway to figure heavily in this affair.
Zambora Magic clocked a flying personal best of 29.49 at Wentworth Park last month and has a great opportunity to take this out from a handy inside draw. The son of Magic Sprite has four wins from twelve starts at the track and will run a cheeky race if given room to move early.
Silent Effective headlines heat two and is one of the form sprinters in New South Wales, recording three impressive victories at his past three outings. The son of Cosmic Rumble and Best Percentage broke the track record over the 515m at Bulli last month, followed by a 29.60 performance at Wentworth Park a week later. Despite being a notable slow beginner, trainer Darren Sultana will gain plenty of confidence from his perfect box eight record of three wins from three attempts.
Stilton Blue has excellent early pace and is suitably drawn in box three. The son of Where's Pedro and She's A Player led last week at Dapto, before being claimed by Premier Mozz in fast time. The Philip Goodsell trained greyhound has two wins from nine attempts at Wentworth Park, with a solid personal best of 29.82.
Kicking Rocks will motor home from box four and has recorded some consistent performances of late at Maitland. The son of Comic Rumble and Really Satisfies has an excellent Wentworth Park record of two wins and two minor placings from five starts and will only need some luck early on to challenge this field.
Queen Esther is faultless at box rise and should get a nice cart across from box seven in heat three. The daughter of Lochinvar Marlow and Fascinate Marina took out the Black Top Consolation at The Gardens last month and has notched up 11 victories at this track from 39 starts, with a flying personal best of 29.64.
Ritza Hattie returned to her brilliant best last week, finishing runner up in the Group One Dapto Megastar. Despite being drawn inside a fast beginner, the daughter of Bombastic Shiraz and Midnight Flare can ping the lids and has a sizzling personal best of 29.47. Trainer Mark Gatt will gain plenty of confidence from her Wentworth Park record of four wins and six minor placings from ten starts.
Rue De Kahn finished fifth in the Canberra Cup final on Sunday and has drawn ideally in box two for trainer Dean Swain. The daughter of Where's Pedro and Shelbourne Dawn has a solid Wentworth Park record of three wins and five minor placings from thirteen starts and has a speedy personal best of 29.64, recorded back in May.
The final heat has last week's Group One Dapto Megastar winner Tommy Brislane engaged. He will exit from box three and is looking for his third straight win. After stepping away beautifully last Friday, the son of Premier Fantasy and Mary Virginia led throughout in smart time and has an impressive Wentworth Park record of seven wins from eleven starts. Trainer Steve White will be hoping for a repeated performance, with a personal best of 29.51.
Group One National Sprint Champion Chica Destacada returns to headquarters for the first time since taking out the NSW Sprint Championship final last month. The daughter of Cosmic Rumble and Eluthra has notched up seven wins from fourteen starts at the track, including a sizzling personal best time of 29.49. Trainer Doreen Drynan will be hoping for a flawless beginning after she found a heap of trouble in the Dapto Megastar final last week.
Crackerjack Dak will relish an inside draw after a very impressive performance at Sandown last week, recording 29.50. The Andrea Dailly trained chaser has good early pace when on-song and is a genuine chance in this final heat. The son of Mogambo and Lil's Memory will be the second runner from that litter, with his sister Maximum Lil jumping from the pink in heat three.
The first heat will jump at 8.50pm.