Ned Snow says Shipwreck can strike gold in Gold Bullion
Ned Snow says consistent sprinter Shipwreck has a good chance to break his mini title drought starting in the second Gold Bullion heat at Albion Park on Thursday night.
The star two-year-old fawn with 11 victories from 39 starts will begin his 520m journey from box two, outside Hello Mike for Travis Elson, who Snow has a high opinion of.
“I'm really happy with the draw. The one is a very good dog out of box one, so he's virtually got the fence,” the veteran trainer told Australian Racing Greyhound.
“If he can run down the one, he wins. He's got the rest of the field covered, especially being on the fence.
“He's not going to get into trouble there.”
Despite the Queensland Summer Sprint being his last title win on December 8, Snow was impressed with Shipwreck's effort to finish third overall in the Group 3 Golden Ticket last Thursday night.
He crossed the line in an impressive 29.58 seconds, timed just behind Throtte and Jay Is Jay (both 29.52 seconds).
“Yeah (it was good). I gave him a freshen-up and I gave him a few jumpouts in the bullring,” Snow said.
“He came out well, didn't he?”
And if Shipwreck does not get the nice early inside passage expected on Thursday night, Snow said he won't worry too much.
“He's a better dog running them down from behind,” he said.
Snow is also confident about Come On Aussie's chances from box eight in the first Gold Bullion heat.
He sees last year's Brisbane Cup winner Orchestrate – from box two for champion trainer Tony Brett – as his biggest challenger.
“Orchestrate is in that race, and he's well-drawn on the inside. He's very hard to run down,” Snow said.
“He can run a good time when he's on the bunny.”
Snow said the wide lane could benefit Come On Aussie, particularly if there is carnage on his inside and he can avoid it with his impressive starting ability.
“I used to always run Shipwreck and him together,” Snow said.
“He nearly broke the first sectional at Ipswich one day. He can get out of the box.
“So the eight is not a bad draw for him. But I don't think he can beat Orchestrate on times.”
Earlier in the night, Snow will oversee Oh Oh Range from box four in the first Gold Cup heat over 710m.
Pocket Money will line up from the same lane in the next heat of the staying title.
Snow is happy they both picked up blue boxes.
“They're both well-drawn,” he said.
Snow's long-distance runners are also in form, Pocket Money winning the Clem Jones Cup and Oh Oh Range finishing third last Thursday night.
“I told everybody last week they were underdone, and not to back either of them,” he said.
“And Pocket Money came out and made a liar of me.”
The knockabout trainer's runners went in with respective odds of $12 and $4.20, so it was no wonder his staying star and Q-Gold Summer Chase winner Oh Oh Range had his pride dented.
“I said I was just giving them a run for the heats next week,” Snow said.
“He ended up winning the cup and the other one pulled up pretty distressed, as I thought he would.”
Punters should be wary that Oh Oh Range – with over $133,000 in prizemoney and 12 wins from 41 starts – will still be smarting from his last-start result.
“But I'm quite happy with where they are at the moment,” Snow said.
“But there's good opposition from the south too, isn't there?”
Bold Trease Final winner and star New South Wales stayer Stagger Out Lee will start from box seven in the first Gold Cup heat.
Respected Victorian long-distance chaser and last year's Fanta Bale Super Stayers Final winner Mepunga Ruby will also start from box six.
Saturday's Summer Distance Plate Final winner Ritza Piper and reigning Origin Greyhounds Series Distance victor Days Of Thunder will headline the second Gold Cup heat, from boxes seven and six respectively.
Odds For Shipwreck In Gold Bullion Heat 2
Shipwreck Odds In Gold Bullion At Albion Park
Race 5 – 
Shipwreck (2)
Form: 225233 | Career: 39: 11-13-7 | Trainer: Ned Snow