Road Agent ran the race of his life when he chased home National Derby aspirant Asa Killa Queen at Wentworth Park last Wednesday night and appeals as the safest bet on the card after drawing box one at this Wednesday's meeting.
The Mark Gatt-trained dog was a luckless half length second to Asa Killa Queen last week and moves from an unsuitable box eight draw to the rails position.
On top of that Road Agent meets slightly weaker opposition, dropping from fourth and fifth class to fifth grade company.
"He is perfectly drawn this week,'' Gatt said.
"Road Agent is a fairly safe beginer and from the inside should run 5.50 to the first mark and be able to record around 30 seconds flat for the 520 metres.''
Before last week Road Agent's Wentworth Park tally stood at two wins and three placings from nine starts but his second placing behind Asa Killa Queen, who proved the form by winning again at Wentworth Park 72 hours later, was his finest performance.
Road Agent did not begin well from his outside draw but showed great pace to be a distant second behind Asa Killa Queen entering the back straight. He then took plenty of ground off the winner in the straight.
Best value bet on Wednesday should be the Owen Langley-trained Shady Son, who produced his best effort this preparation when third to Il Bacaro and El Magnifico in a "red hot'' National Derby Prelude fourth and fifth grade at Wentworth Park last Saturday night.
Shady Son was third all the way but was hampered when attempting to reach the rails from his box seven draw.
In Wednesday night's Adopt A Greyhound Stakes, Shady Son drops in class to fifth grade and switches from last week's wide alley to a far more suitable box two slot.
His only problem looms in the presence of wide running Raglan Gun in box one, but given a clean start Shady Son should be able to outpace that greyhound in the charge to the first turn.
"When he was unraced Shady Son was trialling freakishly fast times but he fell heavily at his first start,'' trainer Owen Langley said. "After the fall he has never been as good as he was going to be but he is still pretty handy.
"I expect him to go well on Wednesday because he has finally drawn an inside box which is what he badly needs.
"If he lands on the bunny it will be interesting to see what sort of time Shady Son can run.''
Wenty fan favourite I'm Pedro is back at headquarters for Wednesday night's Ladbrokes Free For All where he takes on Black Bear Lee, Bessy Boo and Fantastic Spiral.
I'm Pedro has won at Wentworth Park in 29.75, 29.79 and 29.90 but was sidelined from last May until this month due to injury.
"Since coming back he trialled 22.54 for me over 400m at Richmond and then was placed in short course races there and at Bulli,'' trainer Syd Wales said yesterday.
"I am happy with the way I'm Pedro is shaping up but from box five he faces a tough task against the likes of Black Bear Lee and Bessy Boo.''
Black Bear Lee (pictured) became a father on Monday when My Sweet Love, owned by his trainer Ruth Matic, whelped a litter of three dogs and three bitches to the Group race winning sprinter.
Last month's Group 3 John Stollery Memorial Christmas Gift winner looks favourite to score his 10th Wentworth Park win on Wednesday as he is a winner of two of his three starts from box one, the draw he has this week.
He was far from disgraced when beaten just under a half length in finishing third to La Grand Logie and Sleek Master after exiting box four in a similar race at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
For Wentworth Park Wednesday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth Park Wednesday picks:
Best Bet: Road Agent (Race 3)
Best Value: Shady Son (Race 5)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 2, 5, 3
Race 6 - 2, 7, 8
Race 7 - 7, 3, 4
Race 8 - 1, 4
$20 for 37.03%
