Knight Sprite, who finished third in this year's Group 1 Golden Easter Egg, makes his keenly anticipated return to Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
The Gayle Masterton-trained greyhound has drawn ideally in box one in the meeting’s free-for-all event (race six, 520m) in what will be his first start at Wentworth Park in two months.
Knight Sprite (pictured) trialled well at the recent CESSNOCK gymkhana and is poised to enhance his already impressive strike rate to 25 wins from 54 starts.
While Knight Sprite looks the best bet of the night, the in-form Stilton Gold appeals as the value bet of the meeting in the 5th grade AAA Radiator Specialists Stakes (race four, 520m).
Stilton Gold scored her third Wentworth Park win when she led throughout from box one on May 11, clocking 30.24.
And trainer Allan Manwaring is quietly confident about her chances.
“After three Wentworth Park wins it gets harder to win again because of the rise in class, but this race does look winnable,” Manwaring said.
“Stilton Gold has been jumping out of her skin since her last start and while she has had an easy 10 days she trialled really well up my straight track on Tuesday.
“I matched her against another of my team, Big Bad Brenda, who is awfully hard to beat up my hill, but Stilton Gold finished in front of her.”
The 37 kilogram giant Bulkender opened his Wentworth Park account from box two on April 27 and looks hard to defeat from the same draw in Saturday night's My Baby Tegs Stakes (race two, 520m).
Bulkender finished fourth at Bulli from box eight at his most recent appearance last Friday night but trainer CHRIS O'Brien has advised punters to forget that failure.
“Bulkender trialled sensationally in a post-to-post hit-out at Nowra a few days before Bulli and in hindsight that fast trial might have flattened him a little, while the outside draw was also against him,” he said.
“But he is perfect again now and being drawn near the rails is good. Bulkender usually jumps about third and then takes about 15 metres to muster speed before hitting top gear.”
Trainer Noelene Holloway was disappointed with One Samuel's fourth to Lochinvar Amour at Wentworth Park last Saturday night so took him back to headquarters for a run on Tuesday night before his tilt in tomorrow night’s gapnsw.com.au Stakes (race three, 520m).
“I (was) hoping to sharpen him up for Saturday night,” she said.
“He had box seven last week but he likes inside so box two on Saturday is close to ideal.”
Holloway could land a winning double courtesy of her National Derby winner Magic Spring who has box six in the Ladbrokes Odds Boost Final (race eight, 520m).
Magic Spring is the fastest qualifier for Saturday night’s race and After exiting box eight in his heat looks well positioned out wide again in box six in the final.
“I trialled him up the straight on Tuesday and he went as quick as he has ever gone,” Holloway said.
For full fields, expert form and analysis as well as tips, click here.
Jeff Collerson’s selections
Best Bet: Knight Sprite (Race 6)
Best Value: Stilton Gold (Race 4)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 2, 1
Race 6 - 1, 4, 3
Race 7 - 8, 6
Race 8 - 6, 4, 1
$20 for 55.55%
