Mark Davidson believes Fat Boy's Dream might be the "smokey" in the group 2 Black Top (515 metres) at The Gardens on Friday night after she and kennelmate Frisky Felon made the final with heat wins.
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The Brandy Hill trainer will chase his first victory in the $40,000-to-the-winner feature, which doubles as a Million Dollar Chase regional final. The top three move into MDC semi-finals.
Davidson had two runners across the five heats on Friday night and both defied the odds in impressive wins. Fat Boy's Dream, a $7.50 chance, rode early contact from box two in heat one to sit just off leader Big Boy Wilson before wearing him down for a half-length victory in 29.54 seconds.
Frisky Felon ($9) started brilliantly from box six in heat four to lead en route to a 4.25-length win in a personal best 29.51. She then drew box two for the final, in between equal $2.70 TAB favourites Nangar Lucy (Dennis Barnes, box one) and Umberto (Jason Thompson, three). The pair and Anthony Azzopardi's Head The Charge ($3.70, box five) clocked wins in 29.3 and are the main contenders.
Davidson, though, hoped Fat Boy's Dream ($12) in six could push for a hometown win. Martin Bowe's Big Boy Wilson (box seven) and Joe McFadyen's Hurricane's Fury (four) were other outside chances from the Hunter.
"Frisky Felon is probably up against it because she's got Umbreto one side and the Nangar bitch the other, but I think the smokey might be Dream," Davidson said.
"[Azzopardi] said that he pities anything drawn inside his dog, so out of the five, he could deck a few coming to the first turn. If he does, he will cart Dream into the race, and the outsiders might be a chance to get around.
"And Dream is the better of my two. She's more seasoned and a lot stronger. She can run in the 30s and I don't know if the other bitch can get down to that mark."
He was thrilled with the runs of both dogs and to get two into the decider.
"[Frisky Felon] ran pretty much the equal fastest first section, and when you do that The Gardens, you are up the front and they've got to catch you," he said.
"And they were scrimmaging in behind her. She went good and ran a PB, but she's probably got to find another two-tenths [of a second] really [in the final].
"But in these finals, they are all getting to the turn together so you just want an ounce of luck."
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Craig Kerry
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
