Excitement Machine Eyes Six On The Bounce

EXCITING pup Journey Beyond is aiming for his sixth win on the spin when he lines up at Sandown Park on Thursday night.

The son of Keybow has started favourite in all nine career starts, winning eight, at an average starting price of $1.48.

Last Sunday's win at Sandown Park, his first start around two turns, saw him take full advantage of box one, holding position as he pushed wide through the first turn before running on to win comfortably in 29.48 – the fastest time of the three heats.

FIELDS AND FORM SANDOWN PARK THURSDAY NIGHT

"He's a good little dog," trainer Kayla Cottrell said.

"This is a nice little heat and final for him, but he's going to need to come out running from box four and he's going to need a bit of luck too."

Journey Beyond burst onto the scene in September 2022, winning his first three starts by a combined 18-1/2 lengths before suffering his only career defeat after missing the start and finding trouble over 400m at Warragul.

He was later found to have a crack in his fibula which put him on the sidelines for seven months. Now fully recovered, Cottrell is content to work him through the grades knowing there is still plenty of improvement to come.

"We've just eased him back in. I haven't done too much with him, just taken him along nice and slow," she said.

"He can be a bit hit and miss early, but he's only a young dog and he's still learning his craft. What he's does so far on the track has been on raw ability, he still has to put it all together and once he does I think he's going to be a really nice dog."

As for his chances on Thursday, Cottrell is hoping for clear run early.

"He can improve off that run," she said. "If he can get plenty of room early, I think he can show what a nice dog he is.

"I think he can go faster than the 29.48 but he has to do it in a race."

TAB has installed Journey Beyond a $1.90 favourite to win the $11,000 final.

In the night's top grade sprint race, Blue Demon is the nominal favourite after drawing has drawn box 1 against a similar field to which he won in a slick 29.26 last Thursday night, while in the middle distance free-for-all, it'll be all eyes on the clock when Group 2 McKenna Memorial finalist and race Racecallers Showdown winner Hector Frawley jumps from box 2.

The first of 12 races jumps at 6.03pm.

Best: Hector Frawley (Race 4, Box 2)

His best puts him within a couple of lengths of the track record, and from this draw in this small field he should have every chance of giving it a nudge again.

Next Best: Ninetymile Gold (Race 1, Box 1)

On her Victorian debut. Was brilliant last time out and is in very good hands here. Drawn to win.

Each Way: Tiggerlong Nibel (Race 8, Box 1)

Doesn't win out of turn but has drawn his box and with a clear run can fill a hole at a big price.

Lay: Gamache (Race 9, Box 4)

Tasted defeat for the first-time last week and this is harder. Has a ton of ability but the draw is sticky.

Quaddie:

Race 5 – 1,4,6,7
Race 6 – 1,2
Race 7 – 1,4,6
Race 8 – 1,2,3,8

96 combinations ($20 = 20.83%)