Weekly preview / Vin Lowe / 03 June 2009 / Leave a comment Bet Now

The $74,000 Albion Park Gold Cup (G1) at 9.08 p.m. on Thursday night is shaping as one of the best greyhound races of the year, writes Vin Lowe.

Mantra Lad is coming off a terrific win in the Sandown Cup and is on track to capture the same big double claimed by rival Chinatown Lad last year.

From box 3 Mantra Lad will be very hard to catch but there may be a serious challenge this week posed by Queensland star Queen Lauryn who has impressed everyone with her two wins over the 710 metre trip at her last two starts. As with her heat Queen Lauryn is drawn out in 8 and her sensational trap speed should see her lead out of the first turn. Forty Twenty has an unblemished record at Albion Park over the distance but this is his biggest test to date - I've no doubt he'll measure up to Group 1 level at some stage but I'm not sure this will be time or the place.

Defending champion Chinatown Lad won the Gold Cup last year from the cherry and there were plenty of promising signs in his second behind Queen Lauryn last week. A top race and I'll be looking to secure $1.70 or better for Mantra Lad.

The $58,000 Dawson Final at Sandown Park on Thursday night is a lovely addition to the feature race calendar and I think we can find one at good value. Graham Bate should have Jarvis Bale perfectly primed for this. A good second to surprise winner Who Told Helen last week Jarvis Bale will jump from box 2 and I expect him to have a ding dong battle with Matching Outcome for most of the 515 metres. Dyna Forte is sure to be storming home late. Talented Birthday Boy will jump from 5 and this race is easier than some of his most recent assignments - far from disgraced with close-up fifths to Trew Millions and El Galo recently. But like Din's Son (6) the draw is not in their favour and I expect the winner to come from the inside boxes.

The Sandown Sixes Final over 715 metres on the same night is a ripper and I reckon Nitrane has a class edge over his rivals here. He's racing in great form and should be too good again for Octanol and the ever reliable Kulu Warrior.

With $25,000 to the winner the Peter Mosman Final at Wentworth Park on Saturday night will attract plenty of interest. I'll be sticking with Accounts here although I think Watch This is very promising and will get even closer to him this week. Certain Magic mixes her form and Osti's Myth winning strike rate (17%) is just not good enough. Devine Road is capable of putting in a blinder and if good odds are offered for this up and comer don't ignore them - because you may not see them again!