Sandown Park takes centre stage for Thursday night greyhound racing.
The best bets ahead of a big 12-race card.
Sandown Park Race 1
#3 Enemy Within
Jason Thompson prepares his maiden runner Enemy Within ahead of this Maiden Final at Sandown over 515 metres.
The one-year-old dog started a $1.4 favourite when making the rise to 515 metres last start, but was desperately unlucky in the opening stages of the race.
He got checked just as he was building his rev meter up, but still did a great job to fight on and finish third.
With even luck he will be winning this race and running a career best time as he now fully fit and ready to run a big race.
Suggested Bet: Enemy Within win at $2.60
Suggested Exotic: Trifecta – 3/ 8/ Field
Sandown park race 3
#7 Sandra's Sticker
Siding with the most lightly-raced dog in the field in Sandra’s Sticker who is an up and coming staying prospect on the greyhound scene.
Since making the sharp increase in distance to 600 metres and beyond, he has been in career best form has two wins and two placings from his four efforts at 680 metres or greater.
He was slightly cramped for room when jumping from box one last start in a G5 race only four days ago and now he draws a wide box.
It will allow him to fully extend that big, staying stride that he possesses and he has the freshness and zip in his legs to put his older rivals away here.
Making him the best of the night.
Suggested Bet: Sandra’s Sticker win at $3
Sandown Park Race 4
#5 Aston Cade
Aston Cade brings the strongest form of any dog into this field despite not having won a race in his last nine starts.
He might be drawn awkwardly in box five for this race, but he has the early speed and class to overcome the squeeze box.
The Andrea Dailly-trained chaser ran around in a Non Graded event at The Meadows last week and was seven lengths behind the very talented Aston Rupee.
The margin might look quite large, but he actually did a good job to finish as close as he did in a field that clearly has a massive talent edge over him.
He drops back in grade significantly here and, if he can hold his form, he will be returning to winning ways.
Suggested Bet: Aston Cade win at $3.8
Suggested Exotic: Boxed Trifecta – 1, 3, 5
Sandown Park Race 6
#5 Fabriola Zad
The yellow rug pops up again.
This time in the form Fabriola Zad who looks well equipped to run a cracker in this event.
Andrea Dailly prepares him for this 515-metre race at after he chased hard behind Daph’s Ascend in G5 rated event last start.
He raced in the class only two races ago and started a very well backed $2.10 favourite over 600 metres, but ultimately defeated.
The market will likely gravitate and respect that short price when the betting gets serious closer to race time.
We should be able to get ahead of the market push for him by taking the $4.8 on offer at the moment.
Suggested Bet: Fabriola Zad win at $4.8
Suggested Exotic: First Four – 3, 5/ 2, 3, 5/ 2, 3, 5, 8/ 1, 2, 3, 5, 8
Sandown Park Race 8
#8 Koblenz
Koblenz deserves another go after his brave effort at The Meadows last weekend.
He charged towards the lead over 525 metres in Free For All event and had a stoush with gun chaser Mr Fix It who just nailed him on the nail.
That run clearly highlighted to the greyhound fraternity that he is back to his best form.
Trainer David Geall backs him up for this race and it is a signal that this dog is thriving and loving his racing.
Expect him to show that customary early dash away from the boxes in order to cross, lead and deafet odds-on favourite Aston Rupee who can sometimes be tardily away from the lids.
Suggested Bet: Koblenz win at $3.7
Suggested Exotic: Exacta 7 & 4
