Caption: Power Of Whiskey will attempt to prove to connections she’s a middle-distance chaser in the making in Saturday night’s $11,600 Col Harris Gold Sovereign Final (630m) at Ipswich. (Photo: Just Greyhound Photos).

Weekly wrap of racing at Ipswich with MIKE HILL

POWER Of Whiskey gets the chance to validate her trainer’s belief that she has the makings of a nice middle distance chaser at Ipswich on Saturday night.

The white and blue fawn sprinter jumps from box two in the $11,600 Col Harris Gold Sovereign Final (0-4 wins) over 630m after an impressive heat win last week.

“It was her first attempt at the trip,” said trainer Casey Dargusch, who is based at Churchable, west of Brisbane.

“We’ve always thought she could develop into a handy middle distance runner.

“And we were happy with how she went first-up last week.

“We thought she’d get there and she proved it with a very strong win.”

Power Of Whiskey (Whiskey Riot-Power Service) only hit the tracks in mid June but already her record stands at four wins and five placings from just 13 starts.

Dargusch admits the chaser has a ‘weird racing pattern’.

“She jumps quick, hits a flat spot mid-race and then puts the foot down and off she goes,” the trainer said.

“She’s very strong in the run home and she really likes the rails.

“Once she got to the fence (last week), we knew she’d be hard to beat.”

The trainer said on times the Tom Tzouvelis-prepared Gone Walkabout looked hard to beat.

Gone Walkabout clocked a smart 37.54s last week, while Power Of Whiskey returned a 37.79s, which was matched by the other heat winner Sand Blaster (Jeff Ahern).

“We are well drawn in box two,” said Dargusch.

“That will help.

“It’s better than being wide.

“Our only worry is often a dog having its second run over a longer trip can be a bit flat.

“However, she (Power Of Whiskey) has pulled up fantastic.

“She’s bouncing around and happy within herself.

“It’s all up to her now and the racing gods; what will be, will be.”

Power Of Whiskey is owned by well-known trainer George Clegg, who also rugs up Ebony Bar Cool (Barcia Bale-Cool Talk) in the $7540-to-the-winner feature final.

The Clegg chaser was runner-up, beaten nine and a quarter lengths, behind Gone Walkabout in last week’s heats.

“We actually whelped the Whiskey Riot-Power Service litter (for George),” said Dargusch.

“The mum is now with us … she lives on our couch.

“We also reared and broke in the pups and we are now training five, while George has one.”

It will be a busy night for Dargusch.

She has runners in the other two feature events on the 12-race program – Whiskey Service, a littermate to Power Of Whiskey, in the $11,600 Lady Trainers Final (520m) and Coruscate in the $11,600 Beat Breast Cancer Cup (732m).

The trainer will also rug up a fourth runner – Ares – in the $5400 IHF Breast Cancer Awareness Novice (520m).

Dargusch said Whiskey Service, having his first start over the 520m trip, had been a frustrating youngster to train.

“Although he’s actually the fastest in the litter, he didn’t trial well,” she said.

“However, he does like the competition that comes with racing.”

The trainer said Whiskey Service was unlucky at his first start, he won his next three – all over 431m at Ipswich – and then copped interference at his last outing.

“It’s his first go over 500 metres,” Dargusch said.

“He should run it out … box one and the small field (five runners) should help.

“He can be quick early.”

The trainer concedes Coruscate faces a daunting task in the Beat Breast Cancer Cup.

All eyes will be on the Tony Zammit-trained Valpolicella, the Million Dollar Queen and the only FFA class stayer in the race.

“It’s a tough field.” said Dargusch.

She said Coruscate had been placed over 710m at Albion Park and would be doing her best work late.

THE Mick Johnston-trained Comedy Act has the time on the clock and the box to test his rivals in a competitive 5th Grade Final (431m) at Ipswich on Friday.

With a slick 24.59s to his credit – just .10s outside Magistrate’s new track record of 24.49s – Comedy Act set the standard last week with the fastest winning heat of 24.66s (BON).

And boosted by box one, the Cosmic Chief-Who Nose Size black sprinter looks the one to beat.

His main challengers appear to be the Daniel Lee-prepared New Beginning (box 6), Michael Vaughan’s pair Flaming Galah (box 2) and Surf Size Queen (box 7) and the consistent Pauline Byers-trained Spring Notice (box 8) and kennelmate Spring Tara (box 3).

MEANWHILE, Ordell, under the guidance of Darren Russell, will be chasing a hat-trick of wins in a Novice (431m) at Ipswich on Friday.

The Aston Rupee-Shoes Mistress youngster, to jump from box five, completed a maiden heat-final double with a four-length victory (25.09S) at Ipswich last week following an impressive first-up win seven days earlier.

The main competition could come from Ned Snow’s Steele Wolf (box 2) and the Matt Heilbronn-prepared Couch Commentary (box 8), which are both coming back in distance.

Steele Wolf impressed first-up over 288m in mid-August, winning by seven-and-a-half lengths in 17.14s, before finishing well back over 520m last month.

Couch Commentary hasn’t raced since mid-July after winning first-up in a maiden heat over the Ipswich 520m before finishing third in the final a week later.