Pride Of The West Chasing Bathurst Gold

FRIDAY night's Ladbrokes Bathurst Gold Cup Final (520m) is shaping up as a gripping affair, with the central west's big four kennels well represented in the $15,000 to-the-winner finale.

Considered the lifeblood of central west greyhound racing given their sizeable operations, Dubbo's Charmaine Roberts, Forbes' Jack Smith, Cowra's Paul Braddon and Cudal's Dennis Barnes will each line-up finalists in Friday night's feature event at listed level, where the fastest qualifier is the Charmaine Roberts-trained Caitlyn Keeping, landing her heat on Monday afternoon in a slick 29.90.

Stepping out for the first time since falling in last month's Group 1 Paws Of Thunder Final at Wentworth Park, Caitlyn Keeping was very impressive in Monday's qualifier, defeating the Jack Smith-trained Little Digger by 3 ½ lengths.

Winner at four of her five Bathurst 520m appearances, Caitlyn Keeping has drawn box three for Friday night's decider, where the daughter of Fabregas will be searching for further black type on her record, already a winner of the Group 2 Black Top at Ladbrokes Gardens last September.

Installed a $3.00 chance with bookmaker Bet365, Caitlyn Keeping sits second in betting behind Little Digger, the 23 race winner, who boasts a blinding 29.50 PB at the circuit,  the favourite at $2.20 after drawing ideally in box one for the feature final.

The second qualifier on Monday went the way of Nangar Gift for Dennis Barnes, the daughter of Brett Lee using box one to a nicety, running 30.00 to hold out a fast finishing Double Up Dee for Paul Braddon, winner of the 2017 Bathurst Cup with Falcon's Fury.

Nangar Gift shifts from box one to box five for Friday night's final, while Double Up Dee, a hugely talented son of Dyna Double One, lines up from box eight for the second week running.

Both chasers have been installed $12.00 chances with Bet365, while the other runner in the market is Oxley Rebel for Darren Sultana, considered a $3.40 chance after scraping into the final following his fourth to Caitlyn Keeping in Monday's qualifier.

The Bathurst Gold Cup is race eight on Friday night's card, set to go at 9.25pm ESTD.