Champion bitch Sweet It Is will highlight the field for the Group Three 2014 Summer Cup at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
She will look to emulate her feat from the Bold Trease a fortnight ago and add another black type victory next to her name.
Victorians originally made up half of this year's field, however the scratching of Beks will see that number reduced to three. This will give the local dogs an extra crack at the arduous task of keeping the trophy in New South Wales.
No finalists from the 2013 running of the event appear again this year. That race was won by the recently retired Dyna Willow.
$25,000 awaits winning connections for the 2014 event which is Race Eight on the card and scheduled to jump at 9:48pm
here is an in-depth look at the race with comments from connections;
ARG Comments: The Queen of Australian staying racing and a four time Group One winner. She showed uncustomary early speed in her heat to sizzle and run a near record 41.55. She is the class in the field and only needs a semi-clear run to win.
Denice Warren (Trainer): “I have always said she is a couple of lengths of being a good group dog and that is the case again here. She should strip fitter after last week. She has had her share of injuries and that makes it hard to manage her racing. She needs to find her early pace again in this race. I have picked a couple of races out for her coming up and she will race until she comes in season. After that, her owner has a Collision straw, so that's where she will be heading.”
Rod McDonald (Trainer): “She is probably the youngest and most inexperienced in the field in terms of staying racing. The draw doesn't look too bad, she has a couple of slower ones inside. The main worry is the five, she led our heat last week. Maybe she will hold the outside dogs out and we will get a nice run though.”
Christine Proctor (Trainer): “She is in a very hard race, I don't know if she is up to this sort of field just yet. She was a horrible beginner over the sprints early in her career but she is coming out very well over the distance. If she can run a place, I would be over the moon.”
Ron Bell (Trainer): “We didn't get any favours with the boxes, we have three in Saturday and they have all drawn box six. Really, he is in a very hard race, he is a 42.4 dog and you can't win these running that sort of time. He does have some pace and he could even lead, but he would have to hold out the best dog in Australia. He did manage to hold out Space Star a few weeks ago and win but this is a lot harder.”
Peter Dapiran (Kennel Representative): “He seems to have recovered well from his fall at Sandown, he just needs to begin as well as he can and hopefully get a clear run, he really needs that clear run.” Â
Peter Dapiran (Trainer): “I would probably prefer her drawn underneath Zipping Rory just in case he holds her out a little bit, but hopefully she can begin well and find the lead.”
ARG Comment: A young stayer who has not won since September and is yet to be proven in the top grade. She gets her chance against the best in the country here but she will need to improve on her best of 42.15 to be a hope.
ARG Comment: Veteran chaser who had been in some of the best form of his career before a fifth to Avondale Maurick in the heats. He will need to jump and hope for luck if he gets a gig in this one.
Best Wentworth Park Times
Best
Last
Sect. Best
Sect. Last
42.07
42.91
16.04
16.78
The speed in the race is likely to come from Zipping Maggie (8), Joane (5) and Dusty Moonshine (3). Zipping Rory (7), Avondale Maurick (6) and Greta's Rescue (4) should also be close to the speed.
The equation for the race is simple, if Sweet It Is (2) can secure a reasonably clear passage in transit, the race is hers for the taking.
If she finds too much trouble, it is wide open for those up front to pinch. Zipping Maggie is the obvious class runner of the others but will need to find her best to win.
