Northern greyhound trainer Steve Clark can start the new year in the same way he completed last year, training a group race winner, during this evening's huge Cambridge meeting.
His charge Spud Missile impressed when winning his 457m heat for the group-two $20,000 Palamountain's Waikato Classic on Christmas Eve in25.52s. He nailed that win from the ace-trap; he can repeat tonight from trap eight (R9).
"Yes, I'm comfortable with Spud being out there, especially if he uses his box speed.
"He has been finishing his races strongly and has been improving all the time," said Clark.
The dangers appear to be Kilchurn, Can't Catch Tim and the Arch Lawrence-trained Teegambo.
Meanwhile, across the Ditch, the smart Canterbury-owned greyhound Above All is seeking back-to-back Australian group-one wins on Melbourne's the Meadows track.
He won the recent Hobart One Thousand from the five-trap, the trap he has in tonight's A$145,000 ($152,000) AJS Corporation Silver Chief (R8, 11:43pm NZT).
Above All won his semi last week in 25.76s when producing a strong finishing run.
He will need to settled handy to the early pace here, as the classy Dyna Villa (25.74s semi winner) will step from the ace-trap, while the freakish youngest Dyne Double One (25.52s) will wear the white racing vest.
"He has really pleased me during the week. Like always, he needs that piece of early luck - he has to do what he did in Hobart from trap-rise [he pinged out]," said trainer Rob Britton.
