THE early speed will be on in the Sale Cup, to be run on Boxing Day, but there are also several more than handy stayers who have claims on the $75,000 feature.
In what is shaping as an intriguing affair on paper, many of the runners are speedy sprinters, who may be tested by the 650 metre trip, while there are also a few stayers in the mix, giving the race some added strength.
Let's see what the trainers had to say going into the last Group race of 2014.
Jeff Britton (Trainer) – “He will probably want to get off the track a little bit so box one is probably not ideal, but we will just wait and see what happens.”
Steven McKenna (Trainer) – “It is is favourite box so hopefully he puts his best foot forward. He seemed a little bit flat in his heat, I don't know whether that may have just been from the travelling, but I am hoping he comes out firing on Friday night. Although I was a little disappointed with his overall time in his heat, he did what he needed to do to make the final and I think he should run out the distance strong. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed.”
ARG Comment – “Lightly raced dog that faces a tough challenge in the final against some of the best chasers going around in Victoria at present. He isn't quick early, so will need to stay out of trouble and get a bit of luck in the running.”
Jeff Britton (Trainer) – “I wouldn't say it is ideal how she is drawn, there is a bit of pace drawn directly outside her and that is the last thing that we needed. It was a really good run last week, I am hoping she will just get 20 metres of clear running early in the final, I just don't know if she is going to get it.”
Kelly Bravo (Trainer) – “Initially we thought it was a bad box but not once we saw how the field was drawn. Allen Deed is on her outside and she has a bit of pace on her inside so it probably isn't too bad. We are hoping she will show enough pace to be up near the lead because I don't think she would be able to come from behind, she seems to be more of a frontrunner.”
George Dailly (Co-Trainer) – “I would rather him drawn on the outside than the inside. The way he went up the straight last week, he only had one dog on his outside and he nearly pushed him out and into the grass early. The wider he is, the better he is. I was very happy with how he went last week overall because I wouldn't really consider him a true stayer. He had a lot of good dogs chasing him and he hung on well and ran the best of the night, he did a very good job.”
Robert Britton (Trainer) – “He has stepped up to the top level very well. He won and won well in his heat, he did it the hard way, but to be honest I thought he might have gone a little bit better. I think there is some improvement in him, I would like to see him run up to his trial time.”
ARG Comment – “Ran a top race last week to claim his heat, but his is a very strong final and he will need luck with three wide runners drawn on his direct inside.”
ARG Comment – “Australia's best stayer who ran a credible second in her heat last week. That was her first start at the track so she is sure to improve. She is one greyhound that should never be discounted.”
ARG Comment – “Received a 28 day suspension at Sale for failure to pursue the lure with due commitment. Will not be taking his place in the field, even if there are scratchings.”
Best Sale Times
Best
Last
Sect. Best
Sect. Last
37.37
37.37
6.17
6.17
Star Recall (4) has been desperately unlucky not to have won a Group One and I think she will finally get her chance on Friday night. She is blessed with early speed and she should be up near the front early on. She may be threatened early by Kiltah Magic (5) on her direct outside, but that runner wanted to shift off the track a bit last week which shouldn't hinder Star Recall, a railer. The Jeff Britton-trained greyhound proved that she is very strong with a 37.18 heat win, just three one hundredths off the best of the night set by Allen Deed.
Kiltah Magic was the quickest early last week in the heats, but she cannot afford to let Star Recall slip underneath her on the rails as her overall time was better.
Allen Deed (6) is a Group One winner and is better boxed here than what he would be on the inside. Last week he wanted to get off the track early on, so he will be giving ground if he does that again. He has wide runners boxed directly on his inside and outside so will have to avoid getting tangled up if they are all trying to get off the track at once. If he can get some clear galloping room, he is right in it, but will need some luck.
Agent Jack (2) ran a good race behind Allen Deed last week. He hit a few flat spots but hung on well. I think he should improve off that run and he is boxed where he wants to be tonight, his biggest issue is that he has a runner on his inside that will want to get off on the first turn.
Space Star (7) is all class but will need to be able to adapt to the step down in distance from the longer journey against the top class greyhounds. He wont be able to give any of these too much of a head start.
The Group One Sale Cup is race eight at Sale this Friday and is set to jump at 9:42pm.