The first Sydney appearance of Australia's best stayer Burn One Down along with the Wentworth Park return of that dog's classic winning litter brother Buck Forty highlight Saturday night's blue ribbon racing.
The Wentworth Park meeting gets under way with two heats of the 720m Group 2 Ladbrokes Summer Distance Plate followed by eight heats of the Group 1 Ladbrokes Paws Of Thunder.
Crack Melbourne trainer Jason Thompson is especially upbeat about the chances of Burn One Down, winner of 19 from 32 starts, and Group race winner Buck Forty.
"Early in his career Burn One Down wanted an inside box but as he has gained more experience he is happy to go around his rivals now so box six is okay,'' Thompson said.
"He is capable of leading but can still win even if he is last around the first turn.
"Although Burn One Down has not raced at Wentworth Park his NSW owner Dave Pringle gave him a couple of trials there before he sent him down to me so the dog knows his way around the track.
"Buck Forty wants to find the rails so is not well boxed in six in heat four of the Paws Of Thunder but he is coming off a sizzling 29.28 win at Sandown on January 5.
"Buck Forty won last year's Peter Mosman Classic final at Wentworth Park and is going even better now.''
Thompson also gives Reckoning (box five, heat seven, Paws Of Thunder) and Aqua Cheetah (box two, heat eight) good chances.
"Reckoning is a quick dog with early speed and because he likes to run in the centre of the track box five is all right for him,'' Thompson said. "He has had a trial and a race at Wenty so knows the course and from 12 Victorian starts has recorded six wins and four seconds.
"Aqua Cheetah is a winner of two races at Wentworth Park and is absolutely flying at the moment.''
Australia's most prolific trainer of winners, Andrea Dailly, has four strong prospects in the Paws Of Thunder heats.
Shima Song, who led throughout from box eight to win a Wentworth Park Free-For-All last Saturday night, and her younger half-brother Shima Bar, are Dailly's standouts.
"Shima Song is in terrific form but she has box one in heat eight," Dailly said. "She doesn't really like that draw but if she jumps as quickly as she did last Saturday at Wenty she should still be hard to beat.
"Shima Bar is well drawn in box two in heat two but I'm not sure how he will handle Wenty because the most impressive of his seven wins from 11 starts have been on bigger tracks.
"Rockstar Troy is suitably positioned in box seven in heat four and he ran a nice race when fourth in the Group 1 Silver Chief Final at The Meadows last Sunday.
"Dyna Boomer">Boomer wants an inside draw so is poorly boxed in six in heat six of the Thunder, but his third to Tod Tanga at his Wentworth Park debut last Saturday night was a good effort.
"He will need luck from box six but Dyna Boomer is a particularly strong finisher.''
Toughest rival Buck Forty and Rockstar Troy in heat four looks to be Unlawful Entry, winner of the 2015 Group 1 Hobart Thousand.
Unlawful Entry has been placed in each of two Wentworth Park races and is poised to secure a clear run to the first bend from his box three draw.
For Wentworth Park Saturday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth Park Saturday picks:
Best Bet: Burn One Down (Race 1)
Best Value: Buck Forty (Race 6)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 2, 4
Race 6 - 6, 3, 7
Race 7 - 6, 1, 8
Race 8 - 2, 4, 6
$20 for 37.03%
