Sonic Oak's trainer Andrew Rowe opted for Tuesday's TAB Million Dollar Chase heats at Bulli in preference to Saturday's NSW Sprint Championships at Wentworth Park and is quietly confident he has made the right decision on the eve of the launch of the second MDC series for 2022.
Sonic Oak has won each of his past three starts on the roomy Bulli track and appears to have drawn the weaker of the two heats, the 472m first run-off, where he will exit box five.
"He is partial to Bulli and is raring to go,'' Rowe said.
"I think Hold Me Up, in box four, will be the dog to beat, but I'm hoping my bloke can sit behind him and gather him in at the finish.
"Sonic Oak's last run at Wentworth Park, when he finished fourth on July 30, was probably his best there because in the past he has been tentative going into the third bend, but he drove into it with more confidence last time out.
"So if he can qualify and make the Chase semis at Wentworth Park on September 16 Sonic Oak should be ready.''
Heat two at Bulli features the clash of Showman Jack in box one and Mellcat Big Boy in two, with Showman Jack a recent best of the night 29.77 winner at Wentworth Park and Mellcat Big Boy a finalist in the Southern Stars at Goulburn on July 29.
Black Firebrand's trainer Owen Langley gave a big thank you to owner Mark Moroney after the dog notched his third Wentworth Park win on Saturday night.
Black Firebrand scored his third city win for Langley when he ran down Joseph's Coat to win a 520m fourth and fifth grade in a handy 30.06.
Moroney, who trains champion veteran Fire Legend, was the original trainer of Black Firebrand but sent the dog to Langley on a temporary basis when he moved from Doyalson to Grafton.
"Mark didn't have enough kennels ready at Grafton so got me to look after Black Firebrand,'' Langley explained.
"When he had built sufficient kennels to take him the intention was for the dog to go to Grafton but when Mark heard that I only had two dogs in work, Black Firebrand and Self Sink, he offered to let me hang on to his greyhound.
"It was a generous gesture so I am especially pleased to win another race in town for Mark.
"Self Sink has as much ability as Black Firebrand but has won only one from nine races because he doesn't produce it on the track while Mark's dog has plenty of ticker and always has a go.''
Romantic Style's all-the-way win in a nippy 30.04 at Wentworth Park on Saturday night left trainer George Borg bewildered.
Just 24 hours earlier Romantic Style's litter sister Romantic Flame performed ingloriously in a middle-distance race at Richmond.
"Yet when they were broken in, Romantic Flame was much quicker and showed a lot more promise,'' Borg said.
"Now though, Romantic Style is showing good early speed and leading all the way over 520m, while Romantic Flame can't get out of her own way in the early part of her races, even long distance events.''
