MANGALORE greyhound trainer Mick Stringer will be on tenterhooks when he loads his potential superstar Underclass Hero into his box for the running of Illingworth Classic final at the TOTE Racing Centre in Launceston tonight.
Underclass Hero has had his share of issues including being a slow beginner but of late he has improved his box manners and he will need to be on his best behavior at the start if he is to emerge triumphant in what is clearly his toughest assignment.
The dog could not have been more impressive in winning the Easter Plate final in Hobart last Thursday week and he followed up four nights later with an even more impressive win in his Illingworth Classic heat over 515 metres last Monday night.
Underclass Hero was clearly the fastest of the four heat winners clocking 29.79 with the next best Kalaway Ernie that ran the trip in 30.17.
MysticFalls stopped the clock at 30.20 but he could have gone quicker had it not been for a check early in his heat so from box two he represents the main danger to Underclass Hero.
MysticFalls, from the Ted Medhurst kennel, began well from box five in his heat but not as quickly as the reserve Two Can that clocked a first split of 4.96 to lead MysticFalls by two lengths heading into the back stretch.
But when the leader began to feel the pinch on the home turn MysticFalls was there to swoop.
Kalaway Ernie from the Butch Deverell kennel was impressive in winning his heat.
The son of Knocka Norris-Trina Sage began fairly from box five while From The West flew the lids from box one and held sway nearing the first turn.
But Kalaway Ernie was determined to lead and ducked back to the fence leaving the first turn and sped clear.
The Butch Deverell-trained dog powered away from his rivals and went on to win comfortably over From The West with Sweet Izzy
From The West has again drawn box one so she should again make her presence felt if she begins as she did in her heat while Kalaway Ernie will wear the green vest.
Cosmic Fire might have clocked the slowest time of the four heats winners but he was one of the most impressive.
Race favourite Real Caution led from box one and held a comfortable margin over his rivals heading down the back stretch.
But Cosmic Fire copped a severe bump when crossing down from box eight at the first turn and that spat him out the back amongst the last few runners.
He copped another check in the back stretch.
Real Caution started to take tiny steps on the home turn and was swamped by his kennel mate Spring Fall that swept to the lead but Cosmic Fire kept coming and overhauled Spring Fall close to home to score comfortably with Wynburn Chaos storming home to grab third.
Cosmic Fire will again wear the pink vest.
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