A minor injury forced trainer Ruth Matic to scratch Black Bear Lee from last Wednesday's Wentworth Park meeting but the boom youngster is looking good for a winning return to the track tonight.
This year's Group 3 Ladbrokes Magic Maiden winner (pictured) has trialled "better than ever'' on the eve of the Ladbrokes Nationals Aug 22 Stakes (520m, race 10) at the track.
The explosive pup has scored six wins from 13 starts so far, including a 29.81 run at Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park in the Magic Maiden heats.
"He jarred his wrist when he won at Nowra on July 27," Matic said. "While my veterinary surgeon said I could have started him 'at a pinch', we decided it was wise to pull him out of last week's race.
"But Black Bear Lee is raring to go now and he went well when I trialled him over 274 metres up the straight at Appin late last week.
"He is not really suited to straight tracks and had not broken 16 seconds in previous trials there but he clocked 15.90 so is back to his best.
"Black Bear Lee is well drawn in box two on Wednesday night because he likes to rail. The dogs in boxes one and three have early pace so my fellow will need to begin cleanly.''
Explosive Range looked desperately unlucky when a close second to Irinka Millie in his second Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park appearance last Wednesday night and he is drawn to go one better in tomorrow night's Welcome To Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park Stakes.
Explosive Range found early trouble and collided on the home bend when second last week after drawing box five.
But tomorrow night he has box one and it is worth nothing the dog won at his only start wearing the red rug.
Trainer Daniel Flanagan said yesterday that the rails was a perfect position for Explosive Range.
"He will go around dogs if he needs to but if he doesn't have to do that he will rail,'' Flanagan said.
"If he begins cleanly on Wednesday he will drive up hard along the fence, he is absolutely fearless.
"Explosive Range thrives on hard work so I figured he needed a good hit-out before this race and trialled him up the straight on Sunday and was very pleased with the way he went.
"Before his first start at Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park Explosive Range trialled well in a post to post gallop there so I know he can run time at the track.''
Trainer Luke Azzopardi concedes Estranged "at this stage'' is a better greyhound on one-turn circuits like Bulli than he is on two turn courses such as Dapto and Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park but he thinks he is boxed to score his first Wenty win tomorrow night.
Estranged has box seven in the Gala Dinner Aug 22 Stakes and Azzopardi is pleased with the wide draw.
"I think box seven is close to perfect for him,'' Azzopardi said.
"When he finished fourth at Dapto on August 6 his run was good and while he is more suited to tracks like Bulli he has to learn to handle courses like Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park and Dapto.
"There is a bit of early pace in his race on Wednesday night but if Estranged begins well he will lead for sure.
"He is a flying machine early when he steps away smartly.''
Bertacious Bee has failed at his past two starts from boxes two and four but this wide runner should bounce back to the winner's list after drawing box seven in tomorrow night's Wentworthpark.com.au Stakes.
Best value bet is speedy Rock Sister, who drew box seven when second and fifth at her past two Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park outings and will relish the shift to box two in the Follow Us On Facebook Stakes.
For Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park Wednesday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth-park">Wentworth Park Wednesday picks:
Best Bet: Bertacious Bee (Race 5)
Best Value: Rock Sister (Race 11)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 7, 2, 6
Race 6 - 8, 1, 4
Race7 - 6, 4, 8
Race 8 - 1, 2
$20 for 37.03%
