ON heat times Retaliation has the equivalent of around five lengths on his rivals in Saturday night's group one Vic Peters Classic at Wentworth Park but trainer Josh Formosa believes the dog has to begin fast to win.
Retaliation had box two when he led throughout in 29.29 in last week's heats with Grant Keeping next best at 29.64.
Retaliation has box seven in the final and at his sole outing wearing the black rug he easily won a 450m race at Ballarat in December.
But Josh Formosa warned: "He has to nail the start in the final because if he misses the kick I think Retaliation is likely to find himself in all sorts of trouble going to the first turn.''
Although Retaliation's kennelmate Repellent took 29.78 to come from behind in his heat win, Formosa believes his box one draw puts him into Saturday's $100,000 to the winner final with a great chance.
Fabricator, who has box two, is likely to help Repellent's chances as that Beau Micallef-trained youngster tends to race towards the centre of the track.
Mark Delbridge, who trained group one National Derby winner Paw Oswald at WP in 2025, gives his notoriously slow beginner Paw Damon a chance of causing an upset from box eight in the Vic Peters.
"When he came from last going through the pen to finish second, two lengths behind Grant Keeping in his heat, Paw Damon came unstuck because he began too well,'' Delbridge said.
"He has never jumped as good as he did last Saturday and because of that he was caught up between dogs and got slaughtered through interference going into the first turn.
"Paw Damon is capable of running 29.20 with a clear run but a dog with his habits is always banking on missing trouble in transit.''
Victorian-trained greyhounds have won six Vic Peters Classics since 2006, beginning with Cromlah Bale before Ashby Bale (2007), Nitro Burst (2008), Proven Nitro (2012), Deliver (2018) and Playlist in 2020.
Minnie Finn, whose dog Zipping Remus set a new race record of 29.33 last year, has outsider Hey Arnold (box four) in Saturday's final, while Jodie Lord, trainer of 2021 winner Bandit Ned, will be represented on Saturday night by the front-running Baby Face Bandit in box three.
Mark Delbridge has qualified with Paw Isla in Saturday night's other group one event, the Peter Mosman Opal, and she goes into her final with the quickest first split.
Paw Isla led throughout to win her heat in 29.65 and her opening sectional time of 5.45 was .01sec faster than Bandit Lynne, who led all the way in 29.66.
"Paw Isla has good early pace so I'll be hoping she can lead again and pinch a decent break through scrimmaging behind her,'' Delbridge said.
Sydney breeder Frank Gatt owns Mosman Opal finalists Ritza Tiana (box one) and Ritza Sophie (box two) and nominated the former bitch as his better prospect.
"If I had a bet my money would be on Ritza Tiana, but just the same I wouldn't be surprised if Ritza Sophie got the cash,'' Frank Gatt said.
Ritza Tiana, trained by Gatt's son Mark, was fastest heat winner at 29.42 while Ritza Sophie, prepared by Mark's brother Daniel, qualified with a fast finishing second behind Hera Rolex in 29.52.
A slow getaway might be the only way of stopping Ritza Tiana from giving trainer Mark Gatt his second group one, at his favourite track, for 2026.
Gatt's Ritza Tears, a litter brother to Ritza Tiana, won the National Derby at WP on January 31.
Hera Rolex probably needed to be drawn close to the fence so trainer Jason Mackay is happy with her box three draw in the final.
"But she is going to have to begin as fast as she did when she led all the way in 29.52 in her heat,'' Mackay said.
Dubbo trainer Charmaine Roberts, who has Grant Keeping in the Vic Peters final, could pick up a winner's cheque with Boom Bam Ranger in the 520m fifth grade WP Sports Bar Stakes.
Boom Bam Ranger was having his first look at WP when a luckless fourth, from box eight, in Baby Face Bandit's Vic Peters heat last week and has the same draw in Saturday's easier race.
