Sawyers Gully trainer Darryl Thomas believes Power Boom will need to improve sharply to challenge in the Future Stars Maiden Final at Maitland on Monday night but he has high hopes for another runner on the program.
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Power Boom has box three for the $10,000-to-the-winner final over 400 metres after finishing strongly to come second to Zipping Kyrgios in the heats last week.
Bradman Best and Cherokee Outlaw, for East Gresford trainer Charmaine Field, are other local hopes in the race.
Thomas, who is in Victoria preparing Million Dollar Chase runner-up Xerri for next month's Melbourne Cup, expected more from Power Boom in the heat.
"It looks a tough race and I thought he was a bit disappointing last week," Thomas said. "I had a bit of a rap on him and I thought he was going a bit better. But he did a few things wrong at the start and wanted to get wide, but he needs to be on his game tomorrow."
He was more excited about Line Of Quality in race three. A winner three times from four starts, Line Of Quality, a half-brother to Maitland track record-holder La Grand Quality, has his first start at the venue and jumps up to 565m.
"He's a freak," he said. "He looks like being anything if he can run the distance."