By Liz Whelan.

The Group 3 Launching Pad series is fast approaching, with a Launching Pad Qualifier set to take place at Sandown Park on Thursday night.

Forty slots were sold for the Group 3 $150,000-to-the-winner event, but the winner of Thursday night’s qualifier will automatically gain entry into a heat on 19 March.

The qualifier comprises an exciting field of youngsters, who lined up in heats for this race last Monday.

The quickest heat winner was Storm Hustler, who clocked 29.54 last week off Box 6, and he comes up with the green rug again tomorrow night.

For Maffra trainer Des Douch, last week’s effort didn’t come as a surprise.

“I was expecting him to go well – he trialled twice at Sandown, and he goes good there,” said Douch.

“It was a handy field, and a bit of luck went his way early, but he went about as well as I was expecting.

“He’s got a lot of pace around him tomorrow night, so it’s going to be tough from where he’s drawn – but if he can stay out of trouble, he should go pretty well.”

Storm Huster wins from box six. Black Star Riot was big running second from box eight.

Meanwhile, the Presutto family goes into the race with a three-pronged attack. Tripped Out has drawn Box 1 for Natalie, Highly Potent will jump from Box 5 for James, and Simply Stunning has drawn Box 8 for Peter.

“Let’s just aim for a triple dead heat. Do we win three tickets into the Launching Pad heats then?!” joked Peter Presutto.

Highly Potent was excellent winning her heat off Box 1 last Monday in 29.56, when she beat home Tripped Out by 1.5 lengths.

“To be honest, I thought Tripped Out would win the race last week, and that’s mainly because Highly Potent had had a bit of time off with a season and limited preparation coming in, so I thought that she’d lead, and he would run over the top of her.

“She (Highly Potent) was enormous and a surprise. She’s only had the four trials back with the season, and all have been very good. Even though I was happy with the way she was going, it surprised me that she held him off, and the time was good.

“There’s a lot of improvement in her, and she’s progressing really well since the season.”

Presutto added that Box 5 shouldn’t worry her, “providing she begins like she can.”

Simply Stunning has also recently returned from a season, but Presutto considers her to be more underdone than Highly Potent heading into Thursday’s race.

“Last week was her first run back. She’s really well boxed out in 8, but I don’t expect her to get across – it’s a fitness issue with her. We’re probably pinning our hopes on the other two, as she probably needs another run or two.”

Highly Potent wins from box 1.

Mepunga Shadow will jump from Box 3 for Jeffrey Britton, following his tenacious all-the-way victory here last week in 29.58.

“I was pleasantly surprised with him, because he hadn’t shown that much speed before,” said Britton.

“He’s had a few niggly injuries through his career. He had a bit of a spell, and then I gave him a box-to-box on the Wednesday, and he went a similar first section (5.10), which I was happy with since he’s not renowned for his early speed.

“I was really happy with his win last week. He’s fairly strong and showed a lot of improvement. He’s only young, and hopefully he gets better and better.”

Britton had already purchased slots in this year’s Launching Pad, and he is undecided at this stage which dogs will be utilising them – but regardless of what happens on Thursday night, he says that he will be considering Mepunga Shadow.

Mepunga Shadow wins from box 2. 

Anthony Azzopardi’s duo, Wizard Watson and Black Star Riot, have drawn Boxes 2 and 4 respectively – and Azzopardi is incredibly bullish about the chances of Black Star Riot, who was an unlucky second in last week’s heat behind Storm Hustler.

“I think he’s pretty special,” enthused Azzopardi about the son of Bernardo and Blue Sky Riot.

“He’s the best of my two in the race. He could be the star through the whole Launching Pad series. He’s something else. He’s just so, so quick.

“If he begins on terms and gets some luck, he’ll be very hard to beat. He’s still learning, but he’s certainly a very fast dog. Probably his only downfall is that he doesn’t have great early pace, but hopefully he can sneak a run through somewhere on Thursday.”

Azzopardi considers that drawing closer to the rail will aid the chances of Wizard Watson, who didn’t get all favours when finishing third off Box 7 in his heat.

“He needs to be drawn inside, especially on two-turn tracks. He’s not blessed with great early pace, but he’s super strong. He’s trialled really well a few times at Sandown, and is pretty well educated there – he’s only going to get better.”

Both greyhounds will be heading towards the Launching Pad heats irrespective of their finishing positions this week, advised Azzopardi.

Conceivable completes the field for Hillside trainer Elyie Frederickson. The son of Bernardo and Shallow Witts was an unlucky third in his heat last week, and his 8.5 length Sandown Park victory in 29.49 three starts ago may be a better guide to his chances.

“If he can come out good, I’m expecting him to lead and be very hard to beat,” said Frederickson.

“I believe he can come out running and take the lead, even with the wide draw,” he added.

The Launching Pad Qualifier is Race 6 on the programme at Sandown Park on Thursday night, and it’s timed to get underway at 8:40pm.