When Jason Thompson talks about Explicit his eyes sparkle with enthusiasm about the greyhound tipped to take out Friday night's Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase at Wentworth Park.
After Explicit overcame a slow start to win his semi-final in 29.19, fastest time of the night, the multi-group one-winning Victorian trainer said: "Missing the jump was out of character for him, he is usually a good beginner."
"I have just won the $100,000 to the winner Adelaide Cup with Excavation but Explicit is a much quicker animal.
"Boxes don't really matter to Explicit, but if he draws seven or eight I don't think they can beat him.''
Explicit has come up with box seven in the final, with even the trainer of a dog widely regarded as his toughest opponent nominating Thompson's dog as the likely winner.
Jason Magri's Zipping Megatron came from near last early but after working his way across to the rails from box six powered home to win his semi-final in 29.35.
"My dog has a great chance from his box two draw so long as he begins cleanly,'' Magri said.
"But if Explicit nails the start I don't think any of us can beat him.
"Going by the time he ran in his semi-final after bungling the start, if Explicit comes out smartly he is likely to break Shakey Jakey's record of 29.07, so if he does that how can he lose?"
"From the outside alley Bezzecchi needs to come out quickly like he did when he won his heat from box four,'' Finn declared.
Minnie Finn also has Both Bowers Ace in the Million Dollar Chase, and in Wednesday's re-draw he went into box one.
"Originally he had box four and was a million to one chance, but while I still don't think he is good enough to beat these other dogs, he now has a very rough hope if there is a mix-up in the race,'' Finn said.
Finn rates Inconspicuous, who has box five and is trained in Victoria by former Sydneysider Anthony Azzopardi, as among the hardest to beat on Friday night.
"Inconspicuous showed terrific pace from box five and win his semi in 29.26 so I think he could be our main danger,'' Finn said.
Inconspicuous' trainer Anthony Azzopardi said: "He had a slip at Wenty before his 29.47 heat win so when he went faster to win his semi-final it was only his second time out of the 520m boxes.
"He is usually a good beginner and while I don't think he can go any faster than his semi time of 29.26, I think he will win if he leads.
"At the same time, mathematically I believe if Explicit, Bezzecchi or Good Odds Cobber is making the pace, one of them will be winning.''
Wide-running Ella's Babe was hampered at the first turn from her unsuitable box two draw when third to Ethanol Water and Exploded in her heat of the Group 2 Farrell's Sydney Cup and after the race her owner, Sydney thoroughbred bookmaker Mark Alati said: "I just hope she draws box eight in the final, that's where she wants to be!''
Alati got his wish and Ella's Babe, trained in Victoria by Brooke Ennis, looks to have a great chance of taking out Friday night's 42nd running of the famous long-distance race.
Fastest qualifier is another Sydney-owned interstate greyhound Valpolicella, trained in Queensland by Tony Zammit, who won her heat in 41.68 for the 720m.
Valpolicella's trainer Tony Zammit knows what it takes to win a Sydney Cup, having landed the final with Trojan Tears in 1993, the first year the race was run on Wentworth Park's current sand surface.
Michelle Sultana trained Fernando Hunter to win the 2023 Masters Meteor and she has a great chance of going back-to-back with her dog Adhana Rico drawing the prized rails trap in Friday night's $50,000 to the winner Meteor final.
Sultana's partner Darryl Thomas said: "Adhana Rico was desperately unlucky from box seven when second in his heat and he is desperate for an inside box.
"Before the heats Adhana Rico had been breaking 24sec in post-to-post slips at Wentworth Park so we think he is going to be hard to beat from box one in the final.''
Zig Zag Man came from third on the first turn to win his heat in 29.77, figures that were exceeded by fastest qualifier Shaula in 29.58, Jungle Johnny in 29.59 and Cunningham in 29.72.
"He is strong but from box one Zig Zag Man needs to show more early pace in the final so I have eased up on his work this week and kept him a bit fresher,'' Swain said.
"But if Jungle Johnny comes out cleanly he could still be capable of leading around the crucial first turn.
In his heat of the GRNSW Young Star, Santino Kade secured a dream run down the outside from box eight when False Witness, is seven, veered towards the rails, sweeping to the lead to win in 29.44.
The Jason Magri-trained Santino Kade has the same draw in Friday's final, and with keen railers, fastest qualifier Lady Wilson along with Promises Three and Make Them Cry drawn in five, six and seven, he should get a perfect passage to the first corner once again.
