Apple Cross Attempting To Upset A Classy Ballarat Final
Napoleons greyhound Apple Cross will be chasing victory in the Ashdrive Asphalting Grade 5 Final at Ballarat on Wednesday night.
In one of the most evenly matched final fields for some time, Apple Cross from the Darren Murray kennel will jump from Box 4.
Apple Cross showed how good she is last week with an impressive all the way victory to qualify for the final to be run over 450 metres.
By Over Flo, out of the dam Minty Bean, Apple Cross was only transferred into Murray's care late last year.
She has now had five runs for the kennel, which has produced two wins and a second placing.
“She races best when drawn close to the rails, so her box draw will help her chances in a tough final.” Murray said.
Murray's comment is supported by his chasers race record, which shows that six of her eight race wins have come when she draws near the rails.
Apple Cross has great speed out of the boxes, and can produce some good race sectional splits.
“There are a number of classy dogs in the final and it will definitely be a dash to the first turn” he said.
“If she can get to the front she will give the opposition something to chase.”
The Darren McDonald pair of Pure Love and Black Houdini will certainly keep Apple Cross honest though.
Both chasers won their respective heats, with Black Houdini qualifying for the final in a “best of the night” run last week.
Black Houdini has now won eleven of his sixteen race starts, with his only recent failure being a third at Geelong three starts ago.
On that occasion he was slow out from Box 4 and received a check in running which ruined his chances in the race.
Black Houdini has won six races from outside box draws, so his Box 8 draw will not affect his chances of taking out the final.
Pure Love has also been in scintillating form of late with three straight wins.
Pure Love will need to show all of his traditional speed out of the boxes though as he has drawn awkwardly in Box 6 for the final.