After a record breaking run in the Group 2 Lion Quality Products Warragul Cup last week, Walk Hard has drawn the undesirable yellow rug. The race jumps at 9:28pm on Friday night and features Paw Licking and Black Magic Opal. There’s plenty of pace in the race and it should be a good one. The winner takes home $43,750.00.
Comments: Trainer unavailable for comment. ARG opinion is:High speed greyhound who is boxed perfectly. He has a 100% record from box one. It took a track record to beat him last week. He is a big chance.
Comments: Ian Bindley (Trainer) – “I think there’s a few there that if they lead he’s going to have a lot of trouble. Paw Licking and Black Magic Opal, if they get to the lead he’s going to be in real trouble. He hasn’t got the pace early that they’ve got but if he can stay out of trouble early and they don’t get clear, he would be an outside chance. He likes it on the fence so the box draw isn’t too bad. If he can sit behind Paw Licking, he’s a stronger dog at the finish but it’s getting there that will be the problem. He’s a very smart dog in the field, he will take gaps, he will go inside dogs and he will go around dogs. There’s just a lot of pace in the race. I really think he will struggle to thread his way through them.”
Comments: Trainer unavailable for comment. ARG opinion is: – Tenacious bitch that loves Warragul. Slow beginner who may not be able to catch the leaders if she suffers some early interference.
Comments: Nicole McRae (Trainer) – “He needs a miracle. The box is against him. It’s hard to get a clear run from box five. Everything’s got to go your way. There’s pace all around him.”
Comments: Geraldine Debono (Trainer) – “I am not too sure. She’s in there. All I am hoping is that she does well from her box. She likes the outside but she’s got some good competition with her. She loves Warragul. All I hoped for in the heat is that she was there with them and it was such a surprise that she actually got up there and stayed with them from box four, I didn’t think she would do any well out of box four. The three was scratched late last week and gave her a bit of room. I am just glad she is there.”
Comments: Trainer unavailable for comment. ARG opinion is –Has opened as favourite for the race and has the pace to overcome the box. If Paw Licking leads and gets a saloon run along the rails, Black Magic Opal will have to work hard to get around him.
Comments: Troy Iwanyk (Trainer) – “I think he’s well boxed, his run in the heats was very good. It’s a tough race but if he can stay out of trouble and sit outside of them he should be somewhere in the finish with a clear run.”
Comments: ARG opinion is – Returned from a long spell last week and ran a good race. He has natural improvement in him if he gets a start.
Best Warragul Times
Best
Last
Sect. Best
Sect. Last
NBT
25.88
6.60
6.60
Paw Licking (1) has an enviable record from the inside draw, winning all five times he has started from the box. He was beaten in track record time last week and his early sections were flying. If he repeats that effort, he will be in with a big chance. Black Magic Opal (7) will need to contend with an outside draw. He is the short priced favourite for the race and if he runs up to his best, will be hard to beat.
Newly crowned track record holder Walk Hard (5) has not drawn well in the five. He will need some luck in the early stages, but there is no doubting his talent. Crump (8) is boxed nicely on the extreme outside and ran home impressively last week. Deadly Vale (2) is the youngster in the field and can post fast times. We will have to wait and see how he handles the box at the track.
Awesome Grunt (1) ran home brilliantly along the rails last week. If he can get a nice position early he can run a place. Evie’s Entity (4) loves Warragul, but she can be slow at box rise and she can’t afford to give some of the dogs in this field a start. Risk of Damage (6) won at odds last week. Her run showed great tenacity but she will need some luck from the draw.
It should be a great final and we may just see the track record go again.
