Ritza Tommy To Follow In Lenny's Footsteps

MARK Gatt is confident that Ritza Tommy can continue Ritza Lenny's spectacular emergence at stud when he debuts in heat three of the TAB Million Dollar Chase Maiden (520m) at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night.

Enjoying a sensational start to his stud career, Ritza Lenny has sired 123 winners from just 392 starters, boasting the terrific winning strike-rate of 27 percent.

FIELDS & FORM WENTWORTH PARK WEDNESDAY

And in a touch of irony, Ritza Lenny kicked off his stellar career with a thumping Wentworth Park feature maiden win in 2015 – from box three – the same draw his son Ritza Tommy will debut from on Wednesday night.

"Lenny's going fantastic at stud – everyone that has his pups just say how good a chasers they are," Gatt beamed.

"We've been selling a lot of straws lately and the bitches he's getting are handy ones too. I've just had another lot break-in and the reports are exceptional. He's heading in the right direction that's for sure."

Ritza Tommy's eagerly awaited debut at Wentworth Park on Wednesday has been some time in the making for Gatt.

The son of Ritza Lenny and Ritza Millie trialling the house down in readiness for his first racetrack appearance.

"I've had this race picked out for him for a while," Gatt said.

"But he got a little sick a few weeks ago with the cough that set him back a bit. There's no real secret that he's well above average.

"He broke in at Richmond in 15 flat which is flying and he's showing me he has everything that you need to make a really nice dog.

"His first post-to-post at Wenty he went 24 dead and box-to-box 5.50/17.90. The first time he went 520m he slipped out of the boxes and ran 5.63 early but still went 30.04."

Five heats of the TAB Million Dollar Chase Maiden will be run and won on Wednesday night with next week's finale, to be staged on Million Dollar Chase night, carrying $10,000 to-the-winner.

"It's hard to get over confident with a pup having his first start but if he does everything right he should win," Gatt said.

"If he nails the start I think he'll run around 29.80. He's a beautiful dog at home – does everything a good dog should do."  

While Gatt is confident Ritza Tommy can debut in winning style on Wednesday, the premiership winning trainer is far less enthusiastic about his Million Dollar Chase semi-final prospects on Friday night.

Boasting three chances in the world's richest greyhound race, Ritza Coen has drawn box seven, while Tennessee Tiger and Blistering have each drawn box five.

"I've copped it at the box draw," Gatt lamented.

"But when you are relying on box draws in a race like this it probably tells you that you don't have the right dogs anyway.

"Ritza Coen has drawn seven against Flying Ricciardo so he'll need a heap of luck to go his way and get into the race.

"Tennessee Tiger is drawn well in five but whether he comes out and does what he did on Saturday is another question. He's come out like that three times in 30 times so odds he'll do it again aren't great.

"Blistering has the job ahead from box five as well. But there's nothing you can do about the draws; just need to get on with it and see what happens."