In Brief
- Pair's Six the fastest qualifier from last week's heats.
- Sorry Bill the favourite from box eight.
- Willie Falls tough to beat in race four.
Christmas will come a week early for one lucky set of connections in Devonport today with the Freight Connections Christmas Gift to be staged over 452 metres.
Open to fifth grade greyhounds, five heats were run last week where the Butch Deverall-trained Pair’s Six set the standard on the clock, recording a nippy 25.83 from box one.
Friendless in betting for last week’s heat, paying odds upwards of $16.00, the son of El Grand Senor is quoted a much tighter $6.50 chance for today’s $2,000 to-the-winner finale, drawing the rails alley for the second week running.
Favourite for the final – race seven on the program – is the Lynden Nichols trained Sorry Bill, the son of Barcia Bale posting a slick 25.91 to defeat fellow finalist Eileen’s Lass by 1 ½ lengths in the heats.
Winner at four of his past five starts, Sorry Bill is unbeaten in two box eight draws and from the pink in today’s decider, is quoted the $2.65 favourite ahead of Whiskey River at $3.20 from box five.
Trained by Debbie Cannan, Whiskey River is the baby of today’s final, not two years of age until next April.
But that hasn’t stopped the son of Barcia Bale hitting the ground running, winning three of his six starts, including last week’s heat from box five, in 25.96.
One of the better bets on today’s program is in race four where Willie Falls looks poised for a breakthrough victory.
Runner-up at his two career starts for trainer Josh Wright, Willie Falls, a son of Fabregas and Stayers Inn, is expected to derive plenty of benefit from his recent appearances and with that experience land the prize today.
In what could very well be a big week for the Hall of Fame trainer, Ted Medhurst looks to play a leading hand in race nine with kennel-mates Mr. Camacho (5) and Pretty Fab (7).
Quoted $3.20 equal favourites, Mr. Camacho has had his colours lowered as an odds-on favourite at his past two starts but looks placed to return to the winner’s list.
Pretty Fab goes into the race as the winner of her past two, including a victory in Devonport last week in stylish fashion.
After today’s Devonport meeting Medhurst turns his attention to Thursday night’s Group 1 Ladbrokes Hobart Thousand, where brothers Raging Ralston and Stanley Gordon take their place in the $75,000 to-the-winner feature.
Watch the replay of Pair’s Six winning in Devonport last week.