Youngsters Set For Richmond Maiden Showdown

A cool $8,000 awaits winning connections of Friday night's Steeline Maiden Final (535m) at Richmond, where a mere two lengths separates the four heat winners on the clock, making for an absorbing contest.

Setting the pace for the final ever so narrowly is the Ray Smith-trained blue-blood Feral Franky, the son of Collision and proven producer Solar Pak scoring on debut in a sharp 30.80, a whisker in front of Jason Magri's equally impressive first starter Gharb, the son of Banjo Boy landing his heat in a smart 30.81.

Rounding out the heat winners was Dyna Double One debutant Double Back for trainer Jodie Lagogiane in 30.90, while Talk The Torque was most impressive for Kayla-jane Coleman in a sharp 30.89.

With eight outstandingly bred youngsters set to face the starter, bookmaker Bet365 has found it rather difficult to separate the eight runners on the strength of their respective heat performances, installing Gharb a narrow favourite at $3.60, ahead of littermates Good Odds Buddy and Feral Franky at $4.50, the latter runner-up at each of his three career starts for trainer Frank Hurst.

Sitting on the next line of betting at $5.00 is all-the-way heat winners Double Back and Talk The Torque, the pair drawing boxes five and seven, the same colours they carried to their respective run-off wins last Friday night.

The maiden final is race five on Friday night's quality program of racing, set to go at 8.38pm ESTD.