Butterwick trainer-owner Michael Manuel is confident Chevy Rock is right to return from injury but he's unsure how he will handle box one for the first time at Maitland on Monday night.
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Chevy Rock has not raced since dislocating a toe and tearing webbing in a collision near the finish at Maitland on January 9 when second.
The black dog, a son of Fabregas, had won his previous three starts, which included a heat and final of the Wauchope Cup (457 metres).
Chevy Rock overcame a broken shoulder and toe earlier in his career and Manuel has taken his time getting the winner of seven from 18 to the races again.
"We had a bit of trouble getting it right and then he tore a chest muscle, so it's been a slow process getting him back, but he's been trialing well," Manuel said. "He's trialing as fast as he ever has. He went 22.72 at The Gardens over the 400 and 22.11 at Gosford."
Chevy Rock returns in race eight, a 5th grade event over 400m, on Monday night and Manuel is more concerned about the start from an inside box than his dog's fitness. Under COVID-19 protocols, dogs are loaded two at a time, rather than four, making it a far longer process.
"I actually like him from a wide box and he's never had box one, so I'm not sure how he'll handle it," he said.
"And the way they are putting them in at the moment is a query. The one and the five, I think, go in first, so he's going to be in there for a while, and he's a bit of a rev-head."
At The Gardens on Saturday night, Richmond Vale trainer Jason Mackay had a winning double with Aston Lee and Aston Sapporo.