Knight Sprite made light of his age to beat all but the placegetters in last week's NSW final of the National Sprint Championship and a huge drop in class should put him back into the winner's circle at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Knight Sprite, who turned four in February, finished just five lengths from the youthful winner Bekin Street in the Championship and plummets to fifth grade company in race nine at Wentworth Park this Saturday.
Owner-trainer Gayle Masterson is confident Knight Sprite can land his 13th Wentworth Park win on Saturday, especially since her old warrior has drawn box seven. Knight Sprite has won six of his 11 races wearing the black rug and Masterson quipped: "He doesn't know how old he is and I don't tell him.
"He finished Saturday's Championship final with his eyes and mouth full of sand so was a bit seedy after the race.
"But by Sunday morning he was his old self again, jumping out of his skin.
"Since then all he has had is a sprint up the straight at a trial track which is what he always gets between races.''
Knight Sprite is Saturday night's stand-out bet with the ideally drawn Returned Hero, who has box eight in race two, a 520m fifth heat for greyhounds with two to five wins.
Returned Hero has not raced since finishing second, from box one, to Et Cetera in a similar 520m event at Wentworth Park on July 22. He showed good early speed in that race but lost his winning chance when he veered off the track at the first turn.
Returned Hero was all at sea from the rails trap and is far better suited from box eight, where he has been successful in two from four starts.
Here's DAVE's recent sensational Dapto form suggests he is ready to break through for his first Wentworth Park win in Saturday night's opening event, a 520m fifth grade. The Ruth King-trained dog finished third and fourth in a heat and semi-final of the Magic Maiden in two Wentworth Park races during the Golden Easter Egg carnival and has since won five of seven provincial races, all at Dapto.
"He was immature when he raced at Wentworth Park earlier this year and is a much better dog now,'' King said.
"When he led throughout at Dapto recently Here's DAVE recorded an opening split of 5.34sec, figures which are seldom equalled at that track.
"He is in terrific form and his box five draw looks to be the only hang-up for him on Saturday night.''
Smoking Road frustrated owner Eddie Kingswell and trainer Mark Gatt by losing his first three Wentworth Park races but the talented sprinter has since "put it all together'' by winning four of his past six outings at headquarters. Ranked among the fastest dogs to have joined Gatt's Thirlmere kennels, Smoking Road is set to enhance his tally to nine wins from 21 races by taking out Saturday night's 520m Free-For-All.
Smoking Road is stepping up in class but has a dream draw as he will exit box one, with the "luxury" of having the wide running Better Call Sloy alongside him in box two. Most successful Wentworth Park performer in the Free-For-All is El Magnifico, who has won eight races at headquarters, but he has drawn awkwardly in box eight.
If there is a danger to Smoking Road it could be Big Chicken, who has won in a fast 29.82sec at Wentworth Park and has the early pace necessary to overcome box four.
Jeff Collerson's picks
Best Bet Knight Sprite (race 9)
Best Value Returned Hero (race 2)
Quaddie
Race 5 - 7, 1
Race 6 - 1, 4, 8
Race 7 - 6, 1, 2
Race 8 - 8, 1, 6
$20 for 37.03%
