Winsome Storm's box manners have disappointed trainer Minnie Finn but the dog should only need to jump on terms with his rivals to win at Wentworth Park on Thursday night.
Winsome Storm (pictured) has box seven in the Ladbrokes Bet Ticker Stakes, a 520m fifth grade, and his prospects have been boosted by news that Brax Keeping, who had drawn eight, will be scratched due to injury.
"He hasn't been coming out so it probably doesn't matter what box Winsome Storm gets,'' Minnie Finn said.
At his Wentworth Park debut on September 18 Winsome Storm was slowly away and collided on the first bend before finishing third to Migaloo.
Then, when sent out a $1.18 favourite from box two at Richmond on September 24, Winsome Storm again dwelt at the start and ran wide at the first turn before powering home to win easily in moderate time.
Because he wanted to get wide in the early stages at Richmond, Winsome Storm's outside draw with an empty box on his right should enable him to secure enough room to move around his rivals in the early stages on Thursday.
Winsome Storm is a litter brother to the Kristy Sultana-trained See This, who showed brilliant speed from the boxes and posted an early split of 5.38 in clocking 29.75 in a Wentworth Park win last Saturday.
See This is expected to lead all the way in Thursday's Wolfpack Punting Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
Trainer David Smith describes Cambo's Ethics, who has box three in Thursday's Ladbrokes Mates Mode Pots 520m fifth grade, as "very puppy-ish and a real handful.''
But Cambo's Ethics, who is unofficially owned by Smith's eight-year-old son Cameron, has enough natural talent to take out Thursday's race.
Heidi Keeping will want to run wide from box one, but if she can lead around the first turn she will be hard to beat in Thursday's Wenty Leagues Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
Heidi Keeping had box five and raced in the middle of the track when she won over 516m at Dubbo on September 20 and Shayne Stiff, whose partner Charmaine Roberts trains the greyhound, said: "Her only Wentworth Park win was in 30.08 when she led throughout from box six in August but she is capable of improving on that run.
"She just needs to jump cleanly and lead around the first turn.''
Stiff has a high opinion of Tank Keeping, who he said is well boxed in seven in Thursday night's Ladbrokes Sports Bar 520m fifth grade.
"Tank Keeping finished second at his only Wentworth Park race, but before that, he trialled very well there,'' Stiff said.
"Box seven should suit him, but he is up against one of the best fifth-grade lineups I've seen at Wentworth Park for a long while.''
I'm Sally was a certainty beaten when second, beaten less than a length over 720m at Wentworth Park last Thursday, and should have no trouble making amends in this week's The Lids Fly on Ladbrokes Live Channels Stakes, a fifth grade over the same trip.
Last Thursday I'm Sally jumped smartly from box seven but was badly hampered in attempting to reach the rails and had only one rival behind her at the half-way mark.
She rattled home in the straight and the move to box two, against similar opposition on Thursday, makes her look the best bet of the night.
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