Rose Petal Zarr won at Wentworth Park last week without the benefit of a trial or race on the track so should be improved enough to win again there on Saturday night.
The greyhound was part of a winning treble for trainer Neil Staines when she led throughout from box eight to win in 30.12, which compared favourably with the December 16 meeting's fastest time of 29.95.
On Saturday night Rose Petal Zarr moves from box eight to box two in race two, a fifth grade which is only marginally stronger than the field she trounced last week.
"She is learning all the time,'' Staines said. "Early in her career Rose Petal Zarr wanted to cross sharply to the rails but last week she handled box eight well.
"She did not try to reach the inside fence until she had cleared her rivals.''
Rose Petal Zarr, who has won six of only 10 starts, has a great draw on Saturday because fast beginning Uno Topper, drawn outside her in box three, is a wide runner.
While Rose Petal Zarr shapes as the best bet of the night the value wager of the meeting should be Spritely">Spritely Dancer, resuming from a let-up in race four, another fifth grade.
Spritely Dancer has box two and it is worth nothing that he has not been defeated in five starts from boxes one and two.
Country Fox (box one) is drawn to make the early pace but Spritely Dancer, whose best Wentworth Park time of 29.80 has not been equalled by any of his opponents on Saturday, should prove too strong from his good draw.
Miss Pocano has not won in four races wearing the red rug but trainer Justin King believes that statistic counts for nothing in Saturday night's opening fifth grade event.
"It all depends on whether she can lead because Miss Pocano is a much better greyhound when she can get on the lure,'' King said.
"She came in season in late August and won first up over 400m at Bulli on December 11 before finishing last there a week later.
"When she was down the course Miss Pocano was unable to get near the lure early and that is the key to her chances.
"From the inside she looks boxed to get her chance of making the pace on Saturday night.''
Another greyhound which needs to lead to win but also seems positioned to set the pace is the Christine Proctor-trained Master Gee, who has drawn seven in race seven, a fourth and fifth grade contest.
Master Gee was a head in front at the first turn in his race at Wentworth Park last week but lost all chance when the greyhound on his left speared off the track and almost knocked him over.
"He is going well but he can't come from behind," trainer Proctor's husband Alan said. "He needs to lead to win.
"Master Gee is a big long striding dog so is far better when he is bowling along in front.''
Only greyhound likely to pressure Master Gee for the lead on Saturday is Chilli Sierra, who has box eight.
Skate Thin Ice, runner up in the Dapto Puppy Auction Classic, is chasing her fifth win in 11 Wentworth Park starts in race six, a Free-For-All.
"She finished third and sixth in two Sandown races since Dapto but she didn't settle in well in the new kennels I have built at Longwood, near Shepparton, Victoria,'' trainer Luke Azzopardi said. "Since we got back home to Londonderry, Skate Thin Ice seems a lot happier.
"She worked really well when I put her up the straight on Wednesday morning.''
The tough opposition includes Magic Spring (box four, pictured), who finished out of the placings on her last start but can handle the middle boxes and should threaten here.
Poker Brat is ideally drawn in box one in the race 10 fifth grade but trainer Dean Swain warns that the dog is a slow beginner.
"I've tried every thing to make him come out but when he is placed in the boxes Poker Brat pushes back so invariably he misses the jump,'' Swain said.
"He does have good early speed and rails well, though, so he gets his chance from box one.
"He bungled the start but won easily when he drew box one at The Gardens on December 11.
"It depends on what sort of run he gets at the first turn because a dog like Poker Brat needs to get a clear passage early.''
For Wentworth Park Saturday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth Park Saturday picks:
Best Bet: Rose Petal Zarr (Race 2)
Best Value: Spritely Dancer (Race 4)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 3, 7, 1
Race 6 - 3, 7, 4
Rac 7 - 7, 8
Rac 8 - 5, 4, 3
$20 for 37.03%
