Preview: Wentworth Park Thursday

Her three babies are only six months away from racing but in the mean time "supermum" Lagoon Mandy will be chasing her fourth Wentworth Park win on Thursday night.

Lagoon Mandy showed good pace from box eight but was checked crossing to the rails at the first turn when fifth to Both Bowers Ace in a sizzling 29.54 fourth and fifth grade at Wentworth Park last Saturday.

On Thursday Lagoon Mandy, who will be five in December, reverts to Masters class when she exits box one in a veterans' event for first, second and third graders over 520m.

Her trainer Ray Webster said: "She is perfectly drawn on the rails and from there I think she can set the pace.

"The rails suits her because she is only a little thing, around 24.6kg.

"Lagoon Mandy is probably only capable of clocking 30 seconds flat but hopefully that could be good enough for her to win.

"A year ago she whelped three puppies to Aston Rupee and they are soon to be educated by Chris Nutt and Shaun Evans.''

Elkie McGraw has been most impressive stringing together three wins and two seconds from five starts at Goulburn and Temora and owner-trainer Jeremy McGrath expects her to run well in her Wentworth Park debut on Thursday.

Elkie McGraw has box seven in the Ladbrokes Communities Stakes, a 520m fifth grade, and McGrath thinks she is capable of leading early.

Although Elkie McGraw has not raced at Wentworth Park, McGrath said she had a box-to-box trial there recently.

"She did not go as fast as I was hoping but she still went well enough considering it was her first look at the track,'' McGrath said.

Elkie McGraw led throughout from box five when she won over 457m at Temora at her most recent outing, on August 21, clocking a slick 26.01.

Although she raced a couple of dogs off the rail in that win, her trainer said he was unsure how she would handle box seven on Thursday.

"I'm not sure about the wide draw but she does have good pace and I think she is capable of being the early leader,'' McGrath said.

Zipping Teresa has finished seventh and third in two Wentworth Park starts since a spell but trainer Jason Magri has declared she is going "better than ever'' going into Thursday night's Equalizer @ Stud 520m fourth and fifth grade.

Zipping Teresa finished second in a top grade 520m race at Wentworth Park in June and Magri is rapt seeing her in box one on Thursday night.

"Only problem is she is up against Power And Glory, who is a very, very good greyhound,'' Magri said.

"But Zipping Teresa should get a clear run because she wants the fence and Power And Glory does get a bit wide on the first turn.

"Zipping Teresa is trialling well, and despite her form I think she is going better than she was last preparation.

"She has been missing the kick and getting knocked around from bad boxes so she gets her chance this week.''

Royal Magpie has finished second and sixth in two Wentworth Park appearances but Andy Lord, whose wife Jodie trains greyhound, believes she gets her chance in Thursday night's Ladbroke It! Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.

Andy Lord said: "Royal Magpie is only average and can probably only run 30.10 or 30sec flat but she is perfectly drawn in box one.''

Quickest of Royal Magpie's rivals on Thursday is Blazin' Fire, who has clocked 30.12 at Wentworth Park, but that greyhound has drawn box four.

Lord believes Royal Magpie's kennelmate Dynamic Noah (box three, Ladbrokes Sports Bar Stakes) and Ayden's Warrior (box seven, Ladbrokes Racing Club Stakes) are also good chances on Thursday.

"Dynamic Noah has finished third at his past three Wentworth Park starts and he is close to a win while Ayden's Warrior, who handled box eight well to win a Wenty maiden at his first start last Thursday, has drawn nicely,'' Lord said.

"Ayden's Warrior is still learning but he is by Fernando Bale from Book Of Luck and the whole litter can run, their kennelmate King Tide, who has had two wins and three placings from five Wentworth Park starts, is his litter brother.''

Stand-out bet on Thursday should be Depeche, who resumed from a spell to win by nearly six lengths in a nippy 29.84 at Wentworth Park last Thursday.

Depeche has box six in the Ladbrokes Blackbook 520m fifth grade, but raced wide last week so should be comfortable from her wide draw.

Best Bet Depeche (race 9)

Best Value Lagoon Mandy (race 11)

Race 5 - 4, 7, 3

Race 6 - 2, 1

Race 7 - 7, 8, 3

Race 8 - 5, 2, 4