Brett In Box Seat For Golden Ticket

PREMIER Queensland trainer Tony Brett admits individual match-ups for the final of the Group 3 Golden Ticket (520m) at Albion Park next Thursday night have really opened up the series despite the presence of group 1 star Tommy Shelby.

“The match-ups have really opened up the race,” said Brett. “Our two finalists Sentenced and What A Debacle drawing each other tosses up an interesting clash.

“The fact Tommy Shelby has drawn outside a very fast dog like Magical Hope, and with Frieda Las Vegas now in a two-dog clash, it gives her a super chance to run home and put on a winning time.”

Brett sprang a surprise even for himself when What A Debacle (Oaks Road-Rebel Vigilante) sped to the best of the heats with a 29.65.

“Those boys who own him would have lifted the roof off the local club when he won,” said Tony. “They love him and they love to celebrate.”

But Brett is the first to admit the 29.65 was a surprise.

“I felt he might be a 29.80 dog, but once he flew out and got on the bunny, he was always going to carve out time,” he said. 

“He is an all go, go, go dog who has kept improving ever since he arrived in our kennel.”

WA trainer Steve Withers was high in praise of both Brett's heat winners.

“They went sensational,” he said. “Very impressive.”

Tommy Shelby took five lengths off his “disappointing” trial time when running 29.74 and Withers said the dog blew up after the race.

“He was still blowing for 10 to 15 minutes after the run,” he said. “I expect further improvement for next week.”

Withers said he was not overly concerned about drawing outside the brilliant Magical Hope for the match-up next week.

“The one thing I know about this dog is his ability to sit outside other dogs, even three wide, and keep coming even around turns,” he said. “It will not worry him having to sit on that other dog next week.”

Withers said he would stick to his normal routine of walking and a straight gallop during the week to help Tommy Shelby improve even further for the final.

“It is all about fitness for him,” said Withers.

“That was shown in the improvement in his final section. The dog can come home strong which was shown when he ran 11.60 for his final section at Wentworth Park a little while ago.

“He's still got improvement in him for next week.”

The individual match-ups are: Speranza v Frieda Las Vegas, Cheap Wine v Crazy Cool, Magical Hope v Tommy Shelby, Sentenced v What A Debacle. The first named will run from box one and the other from box three.

First sections will be vitally important in those match-ups.

From the heats, the first sections for the finalists were: Magical Hope 5.47, Tommy Shelby 5.51, What A Debacle 5.56, Frieda Las Vegas 5.58, Sentenced 5.60, Crazy Cool 5.61, Cheap Wine 5.63 and Speranza 5.64.