A drop in grade and the rails draw gives Taw Commander (pictured) a strong chance of notching his seventh Wentworth Park win on Thursday night but trainer Andrew Rowe believes his dog will need to "sit" just behind Speedy Pie to have any chance of running down that greyhound.
In the City Racing @ Gosford Saturday Stakes, Speedy Pie, who led throughout from box six to win in 29.69 at Wentworth Park on Saturday night, has again drawn six while Taw Commander is ideally positioned in one.
An unexpected error occurred.
Taw Commander's trainer Andrew Rowe said: "My bloke ran 29.72 in January last year but he turns four in August so 29.80 might pull him up now.
"Speedy Pie looks awfully hard to beat and if she goes straight to the front Taw Commander will need to be sitting just behind her to have any hope of beating her.
"But who knows, maybe he can run 29.70 if he begins smartly because this is a fourth and fifth grade and Taw Commander has been in tougher class in each of his past five Wenty starts.''
Taw Commander
Speedy Pie's trainer Jason Magri said: "My bitch pulled up well after her win on Saturday and if she repeats that performance she will be very, very hard to beat.''
Magri, who is on the crest of a training wave, has his exciting prospect Zipping Hasler returning after a month off set to exit box two in Thursday's Ladbrokes Odds Surge Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
An unexpected error occurred.
Zipping Hasler has won at each of his past two Wentworth Park appearances, stopping the clock at a flying 29.52 at his most recent start on January 9.
Magri said: "Zipping Hasler cut his foot in the yard at home after that win but he is 100 per cent again and has gone as well as ever in a couple of trials leading up to this week's race.''
Zipping Hasler is a strong finisher and good railer and should get a clear run to the first turn, courtesy of wide running Ashby Doha, who has box three.
Best value on Thursday night looks to be Classic Ethics, trained for David Smith by Golden Easter Egg winning trainer Peter Rodgers.
Classic Ethics makes his Wentworth Park debut from box three in the Ladbrokes Punter Assist Stakes, a 520m fifth grade, and is well placed near the rails.
An unexpected error occurred.
When he won at his most recent outing, over 515m at Gosford on January 28, Classic Ethics was slowly away from box eight but crossed sharply to the rails before winning by three lengths in a slick 29.55.
He had recorded a flying 29.33 winning his maiden race there from box two and is certain to have plenty of Wentworth Park experience, as Rodgers trials his team regularly at headquarters.
Also making his Wentworth Park debut on Thursday is Lochinvar Marvel, unbeaten in three Maitland 400m and 450m races.
Lochinvar Marvel is owned by Kevin Gordon, who raced 2010 Group 1 Paws Of Thunder winner Lochinvar Marlow, and is trained by Michelle Lill.
An unexpected error occurred.
Lill's husband Mick said: "Lochinvar Marvel is perfectly drawn but this is his first 520m test and I'm concerned he could be one run short.
"He has had a couple of looks at Wenty, clocking a flying 15.02 in a slip from the water tower and then recording a reasonable 24.40 in a post-to-post hand-slip.
"He can probably only run around 5.50 for his first split but he really accelerates in the middle stages, that's where he does his best work.
''However this is no easy race because Lochinvar Marvel is up against Taormina, who was runner-up in a close finish in the Group 1 Ladbrokes National Futurity last month.''
