It took one of Australia's best young sprinters, No Donuts, to overhaul Espanyol">Espanyol in a heat of the Group 1 Vic Peters Classic on October 17 and the latter looks hard to beat in Wednesday night's fifth grade wentworthpark.com.au Stakes (520m, race one).
Espanyol, who has since won a heat and semi-final of the Dapto Puppy Classic before finishing fourth in France Soir's final, has box seven.
"He is well drawn because he gets out a bit,'' trainer Judy Fisher's husband Ron said yesterday.
"Espanyol has not won in town and is up against five city winners, but if he leads he will be hard to toss.
"He has to lead to win because he is not very strong at the end of 520 metres but he has good early speed.
"We trialled him at Wentworth Park against his kennelmate Dokmai and he led her by about five lengths on the back straight before hanging on to beat her by three-quarters of a length.
"Although he got tired Dokmai is very strong and Espanyol did cover the 520m in 29.90.''
Dokmai subsequently proved the trial form good by winning three successive races at Wentworth Park.
Paloma Lago is drawn to complete a winning hat-trick after coming up with box two in Wednesday night's Paws Of Thunder January 9 Stakes.
Paloma Lago is in career best form, having led throughout from box seven in a sizzling 29.68 at The Gardens on November 27 before jumping in front and giving nothing else a chance to win in 29.85 on a slow track at Wentworth Park last Wednesday night.
"She has been jumping well and while early in her career I was not happy with the way she handled the first bend at Wentworth Park, she got around beautifully when she won last week,'' trainer Ron Bell said yesterday.
"In her past two starts she has jumped the best she has ever begun so I hope she has got into the habit of timing the start.''
Bell also has Wentworth Park newcomer Hosseini">Hosseini, a last start winner at The Gardens, in box six in the Xmas Night This Saturday Stakes.
"Hosseini has not trialled at Wentworth Park but is going well,'' Bell said. "Box six is okay because she uses a bit of the track.
"While she is not strong at the finish she has good early speed and can get out of a box.
"When she won over 515m at The Gardens last Friday she recorded 29.84 and the only greyhound to win in faster time all day was Black Frenzy, Jason Mackay's classy sprinter who clocked 29.63.''
Rubelly Magic has won only one of 22 Wentworth Park starts but the brilliant beginner has registered nine placings and has a great chance of landing her second city win in Wednesday's Rapidvite Stakes.
Rubelly Magic's litter brother and kennelmate Black Lagoon was drawn in this race but will have to be scratched after tearing a back leg muscle.
"Black Lagoon will be sidelined for a while and so will I soon as I have to enter hospital for triple by-pass surgery,'' trainer Rodney O'Brien said.
"Rubelly Magic has had a bit of a break from Wentworth Park which won't do her any harm and she is fit enough again now.
"She made the pace when third in a heat of the Golden Muzzle at Lithgow last Saturday and I expect that run to top her off perfectly for this week's Wenty race.''
While Espanyol looms as the best bet of the night there is good value in brilliant front runner Always A Sting, well drawn in box seven in the Jim Maydo Retirement Stakes.
Always A Sting led but tired badly when fifth at Wentworth Park on November 21 then led again before holding on better when narrowly beaten into second place at the track last Wednesday night.
Last week Always A Sting veered out sharply at the start from box two so is suitably positioned out wide this week.
For Wentworth Park Wednesday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth Park Wednesday picks:
Best Bet: Espanyol (race 1)
Best Value: Always A Sting (Race 2)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 8, 7, 1
Race 6 - 2, 8, 3
Race 7 - 7, 2,
Race 8 - 1, 4, 5
$20 for 37.03%
