2016 Group 1 Paws of Thunder heat tips and top odds
EIGHT heats of the Group 1 Paws of Thunder (520 metres) take centre stage at Wentworth Park on Saturday night featuring some of the finest sprinters from across the land.
The joint favourites to take out the decider on January 16 are Group 1 winners Dyna Double One and Zambora Brockie which are rated $4.50 chances respectively with online bookmaker Bet365. Dyna Double One comes into the series after a three week freshen-up following his sixth placing in last month's Hobart Thousand, with the son of Barcia Bale and Crystin Bale one of 18 greyhounds contesting the series for leading conditioner Andrea Dailly.
Smart Missile is on the nest line of betting with the all-in markets and is currently $5 to take out the $100,000-to-the-winner final. He comes into Saturday's race following on from his last start in the Group 2 Gosford Cup final where he fell on the first turn before tailing the field into the pen.
Knight Sprite, $13, which took out the Gosford Cup also gets a crack at the Group 1 spoils in the Paws of Thunder series, while Snakebite Bale, $13, Elfen Bale, $15, and Dawkins Bale, $15, aren't far out of the calculations for the decider.
The first heat is race one on the card and is set to jump at 7:27pm AEDT.
Australian Racing Greyhound has previewed each heat, with comments and tips from our resident form analyst, Brad Bugeja.
1st: $5,178 2nd: $1,473 3rd: $737.
No.NameFormBestTrainer
The first heat sees the great Dyna Double One ($1.65 with Crownbet) go around and with any sort of luck he should be winning. After having no luck in the Final of the Group One Hobart Thousand, he has been given three weeks off and he should be primed for a bold showing. He has a bit of speed drawn around him but the four will stay off the track so that should give him enough room to drive through. With three wins from seven tries here and a PB of 29.54 he should be winning quite easily.
Magic Spring is a faultless beginner and he has won nine of his 23 tries over this journey. His last 50m isn't great but he should have a nice lead mid race and even if the champ reals him in, he should have enough in the tank to finish second.
Eva Diva rounds out the chances, she has won ten of 19 career starts and she was narrowly beaten in the Gosford Cup last week.
Fantastic Spiral is going to be well fancied and with a clear run he is a chance, however Magic Spring is likely to get in his way in the initial stages.
Top Four: 3 – 4 – 7 – 5
1st: $5,178 2nd: $1,473 3rd: $737.
No.NameFormBestTrainer
Smart Missile ($1.65 with Crownbet) is an absolute superstar and from the red draw he should make amends for his two recent luckless efforts. He has won four of nine here and I think with a clear run he can trim his PB of 29.43. There isn't a whole lot of speed on his outside, so if he comes out on terms he should be able to fire through and hold a forward spot at the first corner and he should then put them to the sword as they head for the back straight.
Amaro Bale is as honest as they come and he should be in the mix for most of the journey. He is blessed with genuine early speed and with a slow beginner on his outside he should be afforded a clear passage in the run to the first turn. He can't beat the favourite but he should make it work hard for most of the journey.
Explosive Range is likely to get back in the early stages but he does hit the line well and he is a must for the exotics, his recent form isn't great but he is much better than that.
Marley Bale rounds out the chances, he was recently placed in the Group 1 Silver Chief final and if he can handle the track he should run a bottler.
Top Four: 1 – 4 – 5 – 8
1st: $5,178 2nd: $1,473 3rd: $737.
No.NameFormBestTrainer
This is one of the toughest heats of the night and after a close look I think the speedy Kihael Kaluna ($3.80 with Crownbet) can get the job done. He has been a little disappointing in his past two starts but he is clearly better than that and if he was to show his normal box manners he would have no trouble getting across in the early stages. This race features quite a few front runners, so if he can cross he should be off and gone with the prize.
Elfen Bale is the chaser likely to challenge the pink at the first turn and if she holds her position she may prove hard to beat. She has been super consistent in her career to date and last time out she stepped up in distance and scored an impressive 34.25 Sandown Park victory.
Benta Bale is another classy Victorian and she is suited by the wider draw. Her lack of early pace is a slight concern but if she can settle around fourth or fifth as they head to the back, she should be able to run into some minor money.
La Grand Logie, Sokyo and Chevy Prince are all capable of winning a race like this but they are all drawn poorly and they will need a few things to go their way.
Top Four: 8 – 2 – 7 – 3
1st: $5,178 2nd: $1,473 3rd: $737.
No.NameFormBestTrainer
Ivy Bale ($3.65 with Bet365) is an explosive beginner and from the inside draw she should have no trouble finding the early lead. Her last 40m isn't great but she did break the 30 second barrier at The Meadows two runs back and a repeat of that effort would see her go around the 29.70 mark here and that should be enough to score.
Good Odds Ocker is another who is ideally drawn and he has won four of six over this track and trip. He is drawn to get the gun sit behind Ivy Bale for most of the journey and if he is within a couple of lengths off the back straight he should make it very interesting.
Opus Forte is an absolute beast on his night and if he showed his best he would blow away his rivals. The big concern for him is the abundance of speed drawn on his outside, if he hesitates early he is likely to get spat out the back.
Black Bear Lee has a tremendous record over this track and trip having won ten of 17, the worry with him is that he might have trouble crossing the two in the run to the first turn.
Bucky Boy is the interesting runner, he recently joined a new kennel but he does come here with impressive Victorian form.
Top Four: 2 – 1 – 6 – 8
1st: $5,178 2nd: $1,473 3rd: $737.
No.NameFormBestTrainer
This is a great heat with the inside two set to go head to head and it should be a great battle. Zambora Brockie ($1.60 with Crownbet) is probably better suited to a wider draw but the inside draw is an advantage because if he can step cleanly he should be able to hold out Dyna Tiber in the run to the first bend. He has won six of nine over this track and trip and he consistently goes around 5.47 to the first marker, if he can reproduce that he should be able to hold them out.
Dyna Tiber is yet to win here in three tries but he is a much better chaser this time around and he should really take it up to the red for the entire journey. If he had drawn inside Brockie I would have put him on top but being drawn on the outside I think he will have to settle for the Quinella spot.
Funky Punk is more than capable on her night but she can be a little hard to follow. If she can step cleanly and drop in behind the one and two early, she should get every chance to run a big race.
Diego Bale can show early speed in his races and he may pester the inside two in the initial stages, if he happens to get across he may cause a boil over.
Bessy Boo is a superstar and he is still racing in great fashion, however from the wide draw he is likely to be posted wide and place claims do look best.
Top Four: 1 – 2 – 3 – 8
1st: $5,178 2nd: $1,473 3rd: $737.
No.NameFormBestTrainer
Knight Sprite ($1.90 with William Hill) is as honest as they come and he recently captured the Group 2 Gosford Cup Final. He has won seven of 26 over this journey and been placed in a further 11, so if he steps well off the red he should be able to fire to the early lead and score. His last 30m can be a struggle sometimes but there aren't any overly strong types so he should get away with the race.
Spritely Dancer is an improved sprinter and he is drawn to get a nice sit behind the red for most of the journey. He has posted a slick 29.80 here previously and he is quite strong in the run home, so if he does settle near the red he might give it a scare as they turn for home.
Dawkins Bale is a star chaser at his best and he recently returned to racing with a brilliant 25.26 Ballarat win, the wide draw is a worry tonight so he will definitely need to ping the lids to score.
Tap out Rose likes racing here and she should get a nice cart across from the seven in the run to the first bend, she has the ability to lead or come from off the speed in his races so she must be included in your exotic bets.
Top Four: 1 – 2 – 7 – 8
1st: $5,178 2nd: $1,473 3rd: $737.
No.NameFormBestTrainer
This heat is very open and although he is going to need a lot of luck, I have decided to go with the talented Nangar Flash ($6 with Crownbet). Last time out he showed a great turn of foot and he was very gallant in defeat when going down to Bessy Boo. I'm expecting the two and three to show some zip in this event, so if he can settle just behind them he should be able to put them to the sword mid race and prove too strong.
Bearville Azza is armed with dazzling early speed and if he can hold them out early he should take some catching. He was narrowly beaten in the Hobart Thousand final recently and prior to that he turned in a great effort in the Melbourne Cup Final, my only concern tonight is that he is having his first look at the venue.
Ritza Rossi returned to form with a strong 30.18 win here last week and he is capable of running home into the placings.
Cash in Motion recently beat the brilliant Smart Missile on his merits and a repeat of that effort will see her prove hard to hold out, however she will need to do everything right from the wide draw.
Dyna Maddie is the interesting runner, she is very inexperienced but she has shown enormous talent in her brief career.
Top Four: 4 – 2 – 5 – 7
1st: $5,178 2nd: $1,473 3rd: $737.
No.NameFormBestTrainer
Lektra Utopia ($9 with Crownbet) doesn't have great form but he has shown improvement in his past two runs and from the red draw he should run a massive race at odds. There isn't a lot of speed in this race, so with a clear getaway he should be able to fire through and he will take some catching, he showed a return to form at Geelong two runs back when posting a smart 25.86.
Nangar Flame is drawn to follow the red through at the first bend and if he can get balanced he will be right in the finish. Amazingly he has only missed a place in one of his 21 career race starts and with an ounce of luck he should be in the money again.
Snakebite Bale is an excitement machine and if he handles the track he will be right in the mix. The only problem with him is that he can be slow to begin and he will move very wide through the first corner, so he will need plenty of luck in running.
Pedro Cerrano rounds out the chances. He posted a scorching 29.40 at Dapto two runs back and if he can cross and lead he will give a great sight.
Top Four: 1 – 2 – 5 – 7