BALLARAT, RACE 8 BOX 2, 9:21PM

Punters are often behind the eight ball when it comes to their perennial battles with the bookies.

But bettors may have the ‘satchel-swingers’ snookered at Ballarat tonight.

Right on cue, if you’ll excuse the pun, The Watchdog has selected Eight Ball in a Mixed 4/5 over 450 metres.

Prepared at Pascoe Vale South by Philip Smith, Eight Ball looks poised to chalk up his seventh win (with three seconds and four thirds) at his 19th start. The powerful chaser has exited from the ‘check’ alley on three occasions for one win and two thirds.

A finalist in this year’s Group 3 Bill Collins Speed Star (515m) at Sandown Park, Eight Ball is one of the state’s fastest greyhounds judging by his metropolitan wins – Sandown Park (29.24sec, 29.33sec and 29.41sec) and The Meadows (29.78sec).

Check out Eight Ball’s most recent win at Sandown Park – from box two – back in late May: