Six huge heats of the Group 1 Ladbrokes Paul Wheeler will be run at Wentworth Park on Saturday night. Here's a few thoughts on each of the preliminaries:
Secret Bandit (1) could and should get the run of the race. She’s jumped beautifully in her last two starts at Wenty Park (5.36 and 5.42) and a repeat of those sorts of numbers will have her in front through the first bend. She’s almost perfect in four starts from the red (4: 3-1-0) and is starting to figure it all out.
Allan Keeping (8) hasn’t been beginning that well anywhere of late but that might work to his advantage in this race with the wide running Screaming Violet drawn in Box 3. He’s been in both the Brother Fox (5th) and Maitland Cup (runner-up) finals lately and is the fastest dog in the race if he gets a fair crack at them.
Croydon (2) is having his first look at the track but has 11 wins from 18 starts for Team Delbridge. Should tag Secret Bandit through the early stages and did a bit of racing in NSW (29.68 winner at The Gardens) under Jason Mackay midway through this year before landing in Victoria.
Winsome Jet (5) has a big motor but not sure where he lands in the run. Another up-and-comer building a nice record but needs a bit of room to wind up and still yet to bust the clock in town (PB of 29.74).
Back Tomorrow (1) looks mighty hard to beat after drawing perfectly in the red. She’s got the fastest average first section in the race (5.44) and set a new best of 5.39 just two weeks ago. Has really emerged in the last few months as the heir apparent to Gets Late Early in the Finn kennel and has won seven of her last 10 (six at Wenty Park). Expect her to lead and be hard to run down.
Taw Galaxy (6) loves Wenty (19: 9-3-2) and ran 29.37 in his last start win there. That was built off a sharp run to the first mark and he’ll need to reproduce that to clear the inside brigade. Already a Magic Maiden and Goulburn Cup winner this year.
Skedaddle Arlo (7) has been up and down in distance recently but has won his last two over the unsuitable 365m at Nowra. Seems better suited from wide draws and hasn’t missed a place since August 5 (includes runner up finishes in Dapto Megastar and Bidgee Cup).
And Zipping Evania (2) doesn’t win much at Wenty Park but she can run a drum (14 placings from 20 starts). Will find the rail in running and should run her usual 29.8.
Toughest race to sort out but maybe Laura Keeping (2) is the one? Hard to know where she’s at after only six starts since June but her two wins in that period have been eye catching. Thought she was heading to the breeding barn but is back at the scene of her G1 Futurity win in January and boxed to run well.
Zig Zag Man (6) chased home the record-breaking Whiskey Mcgraw over 565m at Maitland last week and although Wenty Park isn’t his preferred track (just five wins from 21 starts), his 29.37 PB looks good on paper in a race full of question marks.
Paw Zuri (5) just ran fourth in a Melbourne Cup so that form reference is certainly good enough to win this race. The heat win at Sandown in 29.28 was sparkling but it was from the red, now she gets the visitors draw. Ran third to Zipper On Time in the recent Laurels final too.
Joanne (8) could lead from Box 8 but that will depend a lot on Taormina. If the Lord runner is back to her best, she probably wins the race…if she’s not, a greyhound like Joanne could scoot across the field and her recent Wenty Park win in 29.42 was brilliant.
Assuming Ritza Kris (5) has arrived back in NSW in good order after a stint in Melbourne, she has the wheels to lead and win this. Wasn’t bad but wasn’t great in three starts south of the border (albeit with average box draws) and comes back to a track she’s run 29.89 or quicker on in all six outings. Ran third in the Group 2 Black Top in September and needs to lead to win.
Black Myth Wave (6) could be the fly in the ointment if he jumps like he did in the Maitland Cup final. Flew out and flew home to claim the biggest win of his career a week ago and may attach himself to Ritza Kris. Don’t think he can come from behind either but is in form and brings good Box 6 (four from five) and Wenty Park (16: 6-1-1) stats.
Destroying (2) has flashed his big potential numerous times in 25 starts and this field doesn’t have the likes of Gold Force, Good Odds Cobber, Smooth Plane or Zipper On Time who have beaten him in recent months. Won’t fly out but will run through a brick wall at the first bend if needed.
Gets Late Early (8) just doesn’t miss out too often and is the class (albeit old class) in the race. Turns four in Feburary but has won 37 races and has earned 18 cheques from 21 starts in the pink rug.
Just forget Sooty Keeping went around in the heats of the Maitland Cup and trust she’s ready to peak in her fifth start back from a six-week injury enforced break. Was dreadfully unlucky to finish second in the Brother Fox final last month, lost no admirers in the Topgun sprint and now gets a perfect draw to make another Group final. Not the most reliable beginner but almost flawless red box stats (8: 7-0-1) and is a star.
My Boy Bingo (2) could be the fly in the ointment. He’s very sharp early and made the Million Dollar Chase final here in October off the back of some scintillating runs. His best of 29.33 is a length quicker than Sooty’s and he’s drawn to lead.
Magic Bandit (7) will need some luck but is probably the dog in the field with the most upside. A daughter of Bandit Jane (former 600m track record holder at Dapto), she has been a consistent force at Wenty Park in the last few months with seven starts for three wins, three minors and a PB of 29.50.
And Both Bowers Ace (4) is hard to ignore despite getting long in the tooth. He just doesn’t run too many bad races and although he hasn’t won in his last eight starts, he was an MDC Consolation finalist here two months ago.
Paw Oswald (4) could be one of the best on the card and for a bunch of reasons. He knows and loves Wenty Park (five wins from 12 starts), he’s fresh off back-to-back wins at Sandown and The Meadows in great time, and he’s drawn to track Speedy Pie everywhere she goes from Box 4. Pretty stiff not to make both the Melbourne Cup and Million Dollar Chase finals (combined losing margin of 0.38 lengths across both races) and is one of the favourites for the series.
He’s A Pearl (8) is getting better with every run and after his success in the GRNSW Puppy Classic, he came to Wenty Park and triumphed in 29.61. Wide draw is no real issue and he looks the main danger to the favourite.
Speedy Pie (3) broke through for a deserved feature race win in the Brother Fox three weeks ago and she puts herself in every contest with her blistering early pace. She should lead but can paddle late over 520m so let’s see how fit she is after three weeks off.
Winsome Josie (6) comes out of the same Puppy Classic final as He’s A Pearl where she finished third and is from a good litter.
Tips
4. Paw Oswald
8. He's A Pearl
3. Speedy Pue
6. Winsome Josie
The winner of each heat, as well as the two fastest second placegetters, will advance to the $75,000 final of the Ladbrokes Paul Wheeler on Saturday, December 20.
