Deadly Class Set For Derby Assault

GROUP 1 trainer Anthony Azzopardi believes royally bred Deadly Class is the best of his two chances in the final of the Group 3 SA Derby (530m) at Angle Park on Thursday night.

But, Azzopardi is not ruling out his other runner Salad Dodger pinging the lids and leading throughout either.

Both dogs were placed in their heats last week, Deadly Class (Barcia Bale-Elevated) chasing home Multi Matt in 30.67 and Salad Dodger (Whiskey Riot-Winsome Sandy) third to Hector Frawley in 30.62.

FIELDS AND FORM ANGLE PARK THURSDAY NIGHT

“Deadly Class is the better drawn in the two box,” said Azzopardi.

“I read on the Recorder that Kim Johnstone is worried my bloke will crash to the rails at the start and could collect her dog Rushes Raw.

“While Deadly Class did head left out of the boxes in his heat, that was new for him. He does not normally do that.”

Azzopardi is happy his dog has drawn the two.

“If he does crash, I'd rather he had a dog on his inside to hold him up instead of going down the cliff to the rails.”

Of Salad Dodger, Azzopardi says the youngster needs to lead in the final to win but he would not rule that out.

“His run in the heat was a super effort,” he said. “He finished third just after a downpour came through.

“This dog needs a hard surface to show his pace. He has a chance in the final.”

Azzopardi believes rails runner, Rushes Raw is the dog to beat in the final.

“He goes great at Angle Park and has drawn to be right in the race,” he said.

Azzopardi said he is a huge fan of the new Angle Park track.

“I absolutely love it,” he said. “My only concern is the quiet lure.

“But that is a concern I have in greyhound racing. My belief is that greyhounds are best served by chasing a noisy lure and the best of those is a cable lure.

“I wish all state, all tracks, would have standard starting boxes, standard lures etc.

“The lure system we have now in Victoria is brilliant.

“As trainers, our job is to entice greyhounds to chase and noisy lures do just that. The lure at Angle Park is very quiet and I'm not a fan of those types of lures.”