Form expert The Watchdog has bravely predicted Bendigo’s 425m track record will be broken in Saturday night’s pulsating Group 2 Chasers Function Bendigo Cup heats.
Eight ‘sudden death’ heats, chockful of stars, will be held, with champion four-time Cup-winner Jason Thompson boasting the two favourites in TAB’s ‘All in’ market in Rebellious at $6 and Typhoon Sammy at $6.50.
Both boast outstanding records, with Rebellious winning 13 from 18 and Typhoon Sammy 15 from 22, with the NSW import unbeaten in four starts for the powerful Thompson team.
The Watchdog feels Rebellious is “over the odds”, but not so his kennelmate.
“That’s the right price,” The Watchdog said of Typhoon Sammy.
“This greyhound has just been airborne since joining the Thompson camp.”
While expecting Typhoon Sammy to qualify for next Saturday’s final, The Watchdog is looking wider for his ‘All in’ investments, with his first port of call Andrea Dailly’s Shima Classic, which has drawn Box 8 in the opening heat, at $7.50.
“This is my pick for the series,” said The Watchdog.
“I think she’s perfectly placed in ‘the pink’, she comes into this nice and fresh. We know how good she is at her best, this is her ideal distance range and she’s won four of five from Box 8.
“I reckon she can actually break the record!”
Interestingly, Shima Classic’s champion older half-brother Shima Shine set the current record of 23.35sec in last year’s Cup heats, going on to run third in the final.
While talking up Shima Classic’s prospects, The Watchdog isn’t prepared to let three-time country cups champion Ferdinand Boy slip under his guard, giving David Geall’s Shepparton, Ballarat and Healesville Cup winner an excellent chance of adding to his bulging trophy collection at $8.50.
“I think he’s got to be a massive chance. He just keeps winning for fun, country cups are his thing and it’s hard to tip against him.”
Following the Ferdinand Boy form-line, The Watchdog can’t knock back the $14 on offer for Dr. Tucker, which ran a close second in last Sunday’s Sale Sprint Championship at his home track.
“This is where the value’s at,” said The Watchdog.
“His run in the Sale final behind Ferdinand Boy was just colossal. He was all over his heels – he didn’t know whether to go inside or outside – and to run 24.69sec finding interference in the run was just phenomenal.
“Bill McMahon has this dog firing again and with two runs under his belt since a spell he’ll be ready to go.”
