Red Rock Ripper is poised to stage a last-to-first turnaround at Wentworth Park on Thursday night after finding himself in a world of trouble from box six at his most recent race there a week ago.
Red Rock Ripper has box two in the Garlo's Pies Stakes, a 520m one to three wins fifth grade, and trainer John Grief is very happy with his dog's inside draw.
At his only start wearing the striped rug, Red Rock Ripper won a heat of the 515m Robert Smith Memorial Maiden at The Gardens by nine lengths in a smart 29.63.
"Red Rock Ripper was in awful trouble at the first turn last week,'' Grief said.
"He was almost across to the rails from his wide draw when a runner on his left shifted wide, and at the same time another dog dragged him down from behind.
"Thankfully, he pulled up okay, and he is raring to go.
"I'm very happy with his box this week and also with the field he is up against.''
Red Rock Ripper
Another greyhound suitably positioned on Thursday is the Caroline Hughes-trained My Athena, who has box one in the Ladbrokes Blackbook Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
"My Athena is no superstar but always tries hard, she just gets out and does her thing every week,'' Hughes said.
"She hugs the rails, and I'm just hoping she gets out cleanly because she is certainly well boxed.''
Thursday's Wentworth Park card features four heats of the group three 520m Ladbrokes Magic Maiden, which was won in 2022 and 2024 by Zipping Novak and Zipping Mario, owned and bred by the Hallinan family.
The Hallinan clan's "Zipping prefix'' will be well represented in Thursday's heats, with the Courtney Barnes-trained Zipping Nala (heat one), Zipping Balboa (two), Zipping Ariel (three), and Zipping Bueller (four).
This quartet were produced by Zipping Truvy, the dam of Barnes' top-notch sprint and middle distance star Zipping Chaplin, who has won 22 of 50 starts and is a semi-finalist in Saturday night's Group One Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg.
Another regally bred litter making their first racetrack appearances in the Magic Maiden heats are the Ruth Matic-prepared Taw Major (heat one), Taw Galaxy (two), Shadow Line (three), and Best Surprise (four).
Their mother, Wayang Angel, is the dam of Taw General, Taw Commander, and Summer Key, who have won 56 races and earned $275,000 for their owner-trainer and breeder, Andrew Rowe.
Rowe said: "I educated the pups which are racing on Thursday night at Wentworth Park, so they know their way around the track, with Taw Galaxy having always had a slight edge on his siblings, although they all go pretty good.
"Because I am suffering ongoing sciatic nerve trouble and can hardly walk at the moment, a couple of weeks ago I gave them to my long-time friend Ruth Matic to train for me.''
Ruth Matic is no stranger to success in the Magic Maiden, having taken out the 2015 final with her former grand sprinter Black Bear Lee.
Matic said: "If I trialled Taw Major, Taw Galaxy, Shadow Line and Best Surprise on their own around Wenty Park they could each break 30sec but their problem on Thursday could be their lack of early brilliance and field experience.''
Courtney Barnes is also the trainer of unraced litter brothers Brax Keeping (heat two) and Shaq Keeping (heat three), who are sons of their owner Charmaine Roberts' 2019 Group 3 Ladbrokes Brother Fox winner Caitlyn Keeping.
O'Keefe was an impressive Wentworth Park debut winner for trainer Ray Webster last week and his litter brother Lagoon Joey makes his first city appearance in heat three of the Magic Maiden.
"They were produced by our bitch Lagoon Mandy, who came out and won at Wentworth Park in 29.63 in October, 2024, 14 months after whelping O'Keefe and Lagoon Joey,'' Webster said.
"Lagoon Joey was a good second at his only start, over 297m at Dapto on March 13, and went nicely in a box-to-box trial at Wentworth Park on Monday night.
"But he has box two on Thursday and I would have preferred to see him drawn wide, because he tends to step to the right at the start.''
