Derby winners Magic Spring and Knight Sprite will launch their bids for more Group race glory in Saturday night's heats of the Ubet National Sprint Championship at Wentworth Park.
Richmond Derby victor Knight Sprite has box one in heat one while National Derby winner Magic Spring will exit box four in heat two of the 520m event.
Knight Sprite began brilliantly for an all-the-way Wentworth Park win from box two on July 16 but bungled the jump when fourth from box three there on July 23.
"After I put him in the boxes he sat down,'' Knight Sprite's trainer Gayle Masterson said.
"He had come out beautifully at his previous few starts but greyhounds are not machines so these things can happen.
"But he is very fit for Saturday night and box one is a good draw for him.''
Magic Spring (pictured) has not started since finishing an unlucky fifth at Wentworth Park on July 20 but is raring to go for Saturday night.
"He is feeling really good and has been trialling as well as ever,'' trainer Noelene Holloway said.
Magic Spring's draw is better than it looks on paper as Brad Hill Billy (box three) lacks early pace, while Tilly's Boy in box five should ensure Holloway's greyhound gets a clear run to the all important first corner.
A surprise entry in heat two is Barking Bad, whose two Wentworth Park wins have been in low grade races.
"The dog is flying at present so deserved a chance at this," trainer Michael Eberand said. "It would be a tremendous buzz for me to see him make the final.''
Saturday night's card also features two heats of the Ubet National Distance Championship, where Cardiology (box one) and Miss Foxy Lee (five) are tipped to vie for the early lead in heat one.
The draw favours the ideally positioned Cardiology, who has also a clocked faster time than her rival over 720m at Wentworth Park.
Miss Foxy Lee is unbeaten in two Wentworth Park 720m races but trainer Dean Swain is concerned about box five.
"I'm fearful Tommy The Weapon, who has box six, will cut her off at the start,'' Swain said.
"When Miss Foxy Lee had box four and Tommy The Weapon drew three on July 20 that dog's trainer Neville Brown predicted his greyhound would give mine a clear run to the first turn by going hard left when the boxes opened.
"That's exactly what happened but the draw has been reversed this time so Miss Foxy Lee is going to need a lot of luck to avoid interference.''
Grafton Cup winner Major Jackpot makes his Wentworth Park debut in the Ladbrokes Odds Boost Stakes where he is chasing his 11th win from 24 starts.
Major Jackpot has box one but while trainer Bob Cooke expects the dog to "get off the track a bit'' he does not think the draw is an impediment.
"He had box one at his last start when he won at Albion Park and he handled it fine,'' Cooke said.
"Major Jackpot has not seen Wentworth Park but has had plenty of experience and has always gone well at his first start on a new track.''
Cooke also has National Futurity winner Cash In Motion in heat two of the National Sprint but says she has an "awful'' draw.
"Her only hope is to miss the jump, cross to the rails, and get a run through on the fence at the first corner,'' Cooke said.
Best bet should be the ideally drawn Fever Pitch, who has box eight in the Ladbrokes Monthly Medal Final (520m).
Fever Pitch came from last to win his heat in 30.56 but can go much faster with a better getaway on Saturday night.
For Wentworth Park Saturday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth Park Saturday picks:
Best Bet: Fever Pitch (Race 4)
Best Value: Magic Spring (Race 6)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 1, 5, 2
Race 6 - 4, 8, 3
Race 7 - 1, 5, 4
Race 8 - 4, 5
$20 for 37.03%
