Catani trainer Graeme Jose expects Lots Of Chatter to ‘talk the talk’ in a Group 2 Cranbourne Cup heat (520m) on Saturday night.

But he finds it difficult to ‘generate’ similar confidence with his other Cup heat aspirant, Aston Turbine.

Lots Of Chatter (Heat 1 – Race 5, Box 6 – 8.13pm) has won three of his past four starts, and is two from three at Cranbourne with a 29.98sec PB. But he’s pitted against ‘new kid on the block’ Equalizer (Box 1), who has won 12 races from 25 starts and recently contested the G1 Silver Chief (4^th) and G2 Warragul Cup (2^nd).

“Initially, I was gutted when I saw the box draw,” Jose said. “But I’m now thinking if he can get to the lead early, he can win it.”

Jose adds that Lots Of Chatter “just needs a little luck in the first 20 metres”.

“He finds another gear when he reaches the catching pen and really motors… His run last start, at Bendigo (23.69sec, Best), showed me he’s right on track.”

Jose highly rates Lots Of Chatter, placing him in the best three greyhounds he’s trained in 30 years – including champion Mantra Lad and Four Amigos.

“He was cramping badly in races earlier in his career, but he’s been so consistent since the problem was rectified,” Jose said.

Meanwhile, Jose has enigma Aston Turbine (Heat 2 – Race 6 Box 3 – 8.35pm) facing G2 Bendigo Cup and G2 Ballarat Cup winner Yozo Bale (Box 2) and Dream Wizard (Box 1), a finalist in the G2 Ballarat Cup and G2 Warragul Cup.

“He’s a very fast dog, but he’s also a very frustrating dog,” Jose said. “If he ‘turns up’ and gives 100 per cent, then he’s a genuine chance. But that’s the big question.”

Aston Turbine has won only five races from 43 starts, but Jose had so much faith in his natural ability that he put him in last year’s G2 Bendigo Cup series.

“My fingers are crossed every time he starts… But I can say, he’s got a good run-home section,” he said.

Pawnote: The Cranbourne Cup is the last of three group races tied into greyhound racing’s 2020/21 Gippsland ‘Festival of Racing’, along with the G1 Sale Cup (650m) – taken out by Houdini Boy on Boxing Day – and the G2 Warragul Cup (460m) won by Aeroplane Eric on January 16.