The Group 1 Ladbrokes Vic Peters Classic final will be run on Saturday night at Wentworth Park.
Here’s our preview of the final, including our tip to claim the $75,000 prize:
Cumbria Benny | Steve Fitch
Best Wentworth Park 520m Time: 29.71
Best Track & Distance 1st Split: 5.43
Track & Distance Record: 3: 2-0-1
Box 1 History: N/A
Ladbrokes Price: $2.90
From The Trainer’s Mouth: Very happy to draw Box 1 as it’s a big advantage in a hard race. It’s just so difficult to get across in big races if you don’t have great early speed. The red gives him a chance to get into the race and I wouldn’t say there’s an obvious leader on paper so he could be near the front early. He took a funny step when he came out of the boxes in the heats, but he has good early pace when he nails the jump. The two Keeping dogs and Destroying look hardest to beat.
From The Trainer’s Mouth: It was a really good run in the heats considering he had Box 8 and he’s pulled up really well. I knew we needed the inside in the final as he can only really go 5.50 to the first mark. There was Box 2, 4 and 8 left when we had to draw his box out of the barrel so I was very happy with Box 2. I’m hoping he can get onto the fence and find himself in a good position through the first bend. He’s had wide draws in his last three starts at Wentworth Park and he just hasn’t had the speed to get across.
Taw Major is the litter brother to 2025 Ladbrokes Magic Maiden winner, Taw Galaxy
Nigel Devere | Daniel Pell
Best Wentworth Park 520m Time: 29.88
Best Track & Distance 1st Split: 5.45
Track & Distance Record: 1: 0-1-0
Box 3 History: 2: 1-0-0
Ladbrokes Price: $11
From The Trainer’s Mouth: I was really happy with his heat run even though he got lost really badly through the first turn. He hasn’t had a lot of experience on two turns and that was his first look at the track so he should strip a lot better for the run. He improved a lot in his second look at The Meadows recently so hopefully he does the same at Wenty Park. Box 3 is fine as he runs as straight as a die and I think he’s a better railer on two turns so hopefully he can get near the fence at some stage. He’s the better of our two chances, he’s a quicker beginner and he’s stronger too. Cumbria Benny will be hardest to beat.
Nigel Devere's litter have so far won 23 of 71 starts for connections
Robert Keeping | Jason Magri
Best Wentworth Park 520m Time: 29.38
Best Track & Distance 1st Split: 5.40
Track & Distance Record: 7: 6-0-0
Box 4 History: 2: 0-0-0
Ladbrokes Price: $4.80
From The Trainer’s Mouth: I’m a bit worried about Nigel Devere (Box 3) because he tracked a bit wide in the heats so Robert will either need to go around it or come under him and miss him through the first bend. Nigel Devere got right off the track through the pen so I don’t want to get stuck on the outside of him. My bloke is always finding a way to win and he does go really good at Wenty Park. He’s the better chance of my two with the way he’s boxed and if they give him half a gap, he’ll go for the fence.
From The Trainer’s Mouth: Neo ticks a lot of boxes and is smarter in a field than his brother. He’s won four times at The Meadows and Sandown and he’s got more experience on two turns. There was trouble on the first turn last week in the heats and he managed to negotiate it pretty well considering he’d only had the one look back in January when was a baby (during the National Derby series). He doesn’t have the box manners and pace of Nigel but if he can lob near the fence on the first turn, they could turn into the back straight and he could hopefully be close enough. They both travel a treat so there’s no issue there either.
Neo Devere is a son of Fernando Bale x Pheme
Gus The Jet | Michelle Sultana
Best Wentworth Park 520m Time: 29.87
Best Track & Distance 1st Split: 5.57
Track & Distance Record: 3: 1-0-1
Box 6 History: N/A
Ladbrokes Price: $21
From The Trainer’s Mouth: We don’t think he’s put his best foot forward yet and he needs to improve his box manners. He can go a lot quicker early than he’s been going but he’s only had six starts so he’s inexperienced and this is a massive test for him against good dogs. He has to lead to win, he’s no chance if he doesn’t jump, but it wouldn’t surprise us if he ran 29.5 on the arm. We’re happy with the draw because he wants to be out in the centre of the track and he might get a good run to the corner.
Gut The Jet with trainer Darryl Thomas after his heat performance
Allan Keeping | Jason Magri
Best Wentworth Park 520m Time: 29.67
Best Track & Distance 1st Split: 5.47
Track & Distance Record: 15: 6-4-2
Box 7 History: 1: 0-0-0
Ladbrokes Price: $5
From The Trainer’s Mouth: Allan is going just as good as Robert Keeping. He just sometimes totally misses the start so he’s not that reliable early on, but that might not be the worst thing in this field. He’ll go straight from Box 7 and try to go around them. I think Cumbria Benny is the hardest to beat.
Allan Keeping has won five of his last seven starts for Jason Magri
Destroying | Jodie Lord
Best Wentworth Park 520m Time: 29.50
Best Track & Distance 1st Split: 5.44
Track & Distance Record: 8: 6-1-1
Box 8 History: 2: 1-0-0
Ladbrokes Price: $3.50
From The Trainer’s Mouth: Of course he can win, he’s a good chaser, one of the best I’ve had in a long time. I think Box 8 will be OK for him but he has to come out on even terms with the leaders. He won’t take a backward step through the first corner but he needs to be near the front when the pressure is on at the first bend. He should run straight early on and then he’ll want to come down on them…he’ll jump dogs to get to the front if he has to, that’s how much he wants to win.
