Mortified Ready To Make Wagga Cup Statement

A nine-hour round trip has classy chaser Mortified ready to make a statement in Friday’s heats of the Ladbrokes Bidgee Cup (525m) at Wagga.

Clinton Payne03 November 2022

A nine-hour round trip has classy chaser Mortified ready to make a statement in Friday's heats of the Ladbrokes Bidgee Cup (525m) at Wagga.

The $25,000-to-the winner feature has drawn together three heats with talented greyhounds from New South Wales and Victoria.

Mortified had her first look at the tight Wagga track last Friday and trainer Chris O'Brien was pleased with the daughter of Fernando Bale's debut performance at the track.

FIELDS AND FORM WAGGA FRIDAY NIGHT

"She went sensational," O'Brien said. "First look she went 5.24 early, which she'll improve on, 17.23 down the back and 30.05 overall.

"I think she can get under 30 this week with clear air.

"I'm glad I gave her a look at the track. The corners are really tight, and the straights are long but it suits a nippy little bitch like she is."

Mortified has won nine of her 14 starts including two of her last three runs at Wentworth Park where she has a slick personal best time of 29.63.

Mortified heads to Wagga for the first time tonight to take her place in the opening heat of the @ladbrokescomau Bidgee Cup! ?

Watch Heat 1 at 9:30pm AEDT: https://t.co/maST9HQGIc #thedogs #GreyhoundRacing #WaggaCup #BidgeeCup pic.twitter.com/cGkq1YxF95

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) November 4, 2022

She will start from box five in the first of the three heats on Friday, clashing with Xavien Bale (box 6), the runner-up in the last two renewals of the race when it was known as the Graeme Hull Memorial Cup.

"Box draws are out of your control so there's no point worrying about them," O'Brien said.

"The dog (Charlie's Jar) in the four doesn't look to have a heap of speed so that may help.

"Hopefully if she makes the final she draws the one or the two box."

After the Wagga series, O'Brien has his sights set on the Group 1 Dapto Megastar, in early December.

Mortified has won four of her five starts at the South Coast track with a personal best time of 29.55 which she set when winning the Dapto qualifier of the Million Dollar Chase earlier this year.