A minor injury caused Lini Danco to be scratched from Wentworth Park on June 14 but the Group 2 Western Australia Oaks winner has recovered fully and is ready to score her first Sydney win at headquarters tonight.
The Tony Messina bred, owned and trained greyhound has box one in race four, a 520m fifth grade, and has the early speed to lead throughout.
"She had won five for us before we sent her to WA and Lini Danco won another five over there so she has won 10 of her 30 races,'' Messina said.
"After she finished second in fast time at her first Wentworth Park race on June 10 Lini Danco picked up a minor injury so had to miss her next engagement, but I trialled her over 330m at Richmond last Sunday and she went very well.
"She clocked 18.80 which is good time on trial morning.''
The Richmond 330m record stands at 18.37 so Lini Danco's trial was a strong pointer to her chances tonight.
Boil And Bubble is fastest qualifier for tonight's Ladbrokes Multimaker fifth grade final and trainer Allan Ivers expects his greyhound to be improved by her heat win.
Boil And Bubble led from the first turn to win her heat in 30.26 at Wentworth Park on June 14, with the other heat winners being Danisie (30.31), Wild Tifi (30.35), Marilena Franco (30.44), Alpha Iris (30.50) and Celestial Folk (30.51).
Boil And Bubble exited box eight in her heat win and trainer Ivers is happy with her box seven draw in the final.
"Boxes don't really matter much to Boil And Bubble because she is pretty much a faultless beginner,'' Ivers said.
"When she won her heat she had not seen Wenty previously so I expect her to go a bit better this week.
"In Boil And Bubble's two wins at The Gardens in late May and early June she has gone straight to the front so she has good box manners.''
Veteran Winsome Mission turned four in April but is racing better than ever and from box one in tonight's thedogs.com.au Stakes, a 520m fourth and fifth grade, shapes up as the bet of the meeting.
Winsome Mission won brilliantly at Wentworth Park and Richmond before flashing home when second to Royal Turbo in a sizzling 29.77 at headquarters last Saturday.
That was against third and fourth class opposition so the drop in grade and a move to the coveted rails box makes the John Finn-trained greyhound look a special this week.
In-form trainer Jodie Van Enkhuyzen looks set to continue her winning streak by taking out tonight's Ladbrokes Odds Boost Stakes with Shallay Pallay, ideally positioned in box one.
Shallay Pallay was badly hampered when attempting to cross to the rails from box seven at Wentworth Park on June 14 and did well to finish third behind Wild Tifi and Sazoo Icon.
Knight Sprite (pictured) has won 33 races but has seldom been more impressive than in finishing third to Royal Turbo at Wentworth Park last Saturday.
"He had won the Gunnedah Cup on June 11 but they have a hand start there, and as a result Knight Sprite misjudged the jump and missed the kick when reverting to a trip start at Wenty last week,'' trainer Gayle Masterson said.
"I was rapt in his run and he pulled up beautifully although Mister Twister, who has box eight, is going to be hard to beat on Saturday.''
For Wentworth Park fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Selections
Best Bet: Winsome Mission (Race 8)
Best Value: Shallay Pallay (Race 1)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 7, 6, 3, 5
Race 6 - 1, 7
Race 7 - 3, 8, 2
Race 8 - 1, 4
$20 for 41.66%
