Powell rates Smart As Jack, which boasts 11 wins from his 19 starts, as good as anything she’s trained since venturing south four years ago.
“He’s a great little dog,” Powell said.
“I actually had him ready to go to The Meadows — he ran the best of the day in a post-to-post trial there — but then the Northern Districts Cup came up and it’s an ideal race for him, so the city will have to wait a bit longer.
“He’s well and truly on his game at the moment and I expect him to do well on Monday.”
Smart As Jack is ideally suited by the conditions of the Northern Districts Cup, which is restricted to Victorian-bred greyhounds with no city wins, less than $25,000 prizemoney and at least two starts at Shepparton.
The majority of Smart As Jack’s wins have come at Healesville, where he’s won seven from 10 up the straight, while he’s also undefeated in three appearances over Shepparton’s 450 m course.
Powell also has a second string to her Northern Districts Cup bow in You Fugitive, which has also drawn box three in the final heat.
“I give Smart As Jack a really good chance,” Powell said.
“He loves Shepparton, he’s won out of box three there in good time and he’s ran 25.13s there this week on trial day.
“I’ve also got You Fugitive in the heats. He’s not far behind Smart As Jack in ability — he’s run 21.63s over 385 m at Shepparton — but he’s had problems with a toe.”
Victory in the Northern Districts Cup would continue an unforgettable second half of 2020 for Powell after she won the most prestigious event on the coursing calendar, the time-honoured Waterloo Cup, with Making Gravy in August.
- Gerard Guthrie
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