President of the Dubbo Greyhound Racing Club, Shayne Stiff, joined Simon Orchard on Sky Sports radio on Thursday morning and gave us his thoughts on the four semi-finals of the Ladbrokes Country Classic.
If you want winners, check out his thoughts below:
For me there’s only two possible winners, Ayden’s Warrior or Kangaroo Jack for two very good trainers in Andy and Jodie Lord and Uncle Syd Swain at Lithgow. Negatives against Kangaroo Jack, he hasn’t trialled at the track where Ayden’s Warrior has.
Little query on Binalong Time…trial was nice for Minnie Finn but she’s only a 24.8 kg bitch so she’ll have to step in front and lead. She couldn’t give the red or white a lead and run them down at all.
Nangar Rocket - a great job from Dennis and Ann Barnes, five-years-old almost and been a great old dog too.
Stiffy's Tip
I think Ayden’s Warrior will be very hard to beat but I think the quinella with Kangaroo Jack is a real good bet as well.
Ayden's Warrior ran second in the Group 3 Dapto Middle Distance Championship final in October
Some markets have got Stomping in, some have got him out, my mail is he’ll be out for sure and certain.
Late Night news is developing into a very nice dog…just over two-years-old now so he’s maturing. The only thing is the bookie boys have got him very skinny at $1.60 for a dog that takes a little bit to get going. I couldn’t be taking $1.60 for Late Night News, it’s just a bit too short for me.
I think he’s matured into a real stayer now, those 730’s he had at The Meadows, he really wants 700 and that run to the first turn suits him a bit better. He’s not out of the race at all and if he finds the fence through the 500m there, he’ll take a power of beating but at $1.60, I like them sitting in good boxes and leading.
The other main chances are Party Mode, Poco Rico and Lucky Blue Book, especially if one of them can jump and lead.
Party Mode for Reggie and Craig Gardoll has a real good chance and Poco Rico for Minnie Finn had a fair run last week. The Tuesday before that Poco Rico went 22.68 over 400 at Richmond and a 600m dog running that is always a chance if they find the front.
Stiffy's Tip
Poco Rico is the value
Poco Rico is a son of Flying Ricciardo x Poco Dorado and a brother to Group winners Gets Late Early and Might Have Been
Zipping Chaplin is probably placed OK at $1.80. If you got black odds that’d really bring a smile to my face. Box 1, 600m, Courtney Barnes for the Hallinan’s, it’s ticking all of the boxes. He’s in the race right up to his eyeballs and if you don’t mind taking a bit of the tomato sauce, he could be an anchor bet for the night, Zipping Chaplin.
'Big Nanna' Minnie [Finn] has Box 5 with Gets Late Early. It’s $5000 off $300,000 career prizemoney and done it all, 78 starts for 28 wins. If you got even money for Gets Late Early to run a place, that wouldn’t be a bad bet.
The run of Paw Quinby behind Paw Vortex at Temora was very good but the Paw dogs haven’t seen Dubbo and that scares me off a little bit.
Stiffy's Tip
It’s deadest a Barnes/Finn quinella and you could easily step into $1.80 for Zipping Chaplin.
Zipping Chaplin took out the Summer Six-Hundred at Gosford last month and ran third in the recent Richmond Derby final for connections
This is the hardest of the four semifinals. If you wanted any dog out of the four semi finals in your kennel, you’d probably want Jungle Johnny. His future looks amazing and since he’s gone to the Gatt kennel, he’s really gone to the next level.
That 29.16 run at Wenty Park that night, I said “holy hell” and everyone started looking at Jungle Deuce again as a sire. But he’s got the square up, Box 7, and he’s got Screaming Violet next door who hasn’t been to dubbo, has good speed and runs off the track.
August Bob in Box 8 has good speed and Steve Fitch is a bit of local, born and bred in Dubbo. He’s got speed, trialled nice and isn’t badly boxed out wide either.
So where is Jungle Johnny going to end up through that 500m? I don’t know.
Paw Vortex’s run at Temora was good and he was coming off some good 600m runs. The 34.36 run at The Meadows beating Stomping was a real good run and if you go back and have a look at the run from Box 5 when he went a tick over 34 at Sandown…that’s the run of a nice fast dog. Paw Vortex hasn’t been to dubbo but he’s well-schooled and had 26 starts.
Jungle Johnny might get out to silly odds and class and ability and speed has him in the race.
Screaming Violet will probably lead the race but is on the weaker side over 600.
August Bob’s trial breaking 35 was good and he’s just coming back into a bit of form.
Flash On By has been around the track 145 times and he’s just starting to come back and he’s not out of the race at $8.50.
Stiffy's Tip
I can’t have a bet because I can’t find a speed map to seriously put someone in front. If you like something, go for it.
Jungle Johnny is the equal series favourite before the semi finals for the Gatt kennel and owner John Maroun
The top two from each Ladbrokes Country Classic semi final will advance to the $100,000 final at Dubbo on Saturday, March 22.
