Punters who left their cash in when Mystic Riot was runner-up as a warm $2.30 second favourite at headquarters on Saturday night should "get square'' on the JODIE Lagogiane-trained greyhound tonight at Wentworth Park.
Mystic Riot began only fairly when a strong finishing second to Dyna Worker in a particularly strong fifth grade on Saturday and tackles a lesser lineup in race two tonight.
She has again drawn the rails and with moderate beginner Rockstar Kyle, who tends to run in the middle of the track, in box two and wide runner Metallic Flash in four, Mystic Riot should get the run of the race.
Mystic Riot posted a sizzling 29.96 in a trial over the Wentworth Park 520m trip on June 23 and should only need to get close to those figures tonight to score her first Sydney metropolitan win.
Sydney Thomas has not contested a 520m race for seven weeks but trainer Harry Sarkis has declared the greyhound ready for tonight's fifth race, the 520m Ladbrokes Cash In Stakes.
Sydney Thomas split the webbing on a foot when he took a tumble at Wentworth Park on May 23 and resumed racing with a strong finishing third in a scorching 22.33sec over 400m at Richmond on June 29.
"Before the Richmond race Sydney Thomas trialled 22.50 over the 400m journey there and he missed the kick a bit, something you can't afford to do from a bend start, when he ran third at his latest outing,'' Sarkis said.
"He is going really well again and I have no worries about him being ready to run a solid 520m at Wenty.''
Sydney Thomas has drawn box one and at his only appearance wearing the red rug he won in quick time over 400m at Richmond last September.
Another greyhound expected to make full use of box one at Wentworth Park tonight is the Syd Swain-trained Secretly Hot in race 10, a 520m fifth grade.
Secretly Hot overcame an unsuitable box eight draw to win her most recent race, over 535m at Richmond on June 29, after being run down by the talented Tamaar Tux in a similar race there a week earlier.
"Secretly Hot is a good beginner but lacks early speed,'' trainer Swain said.
"If she can hold the inside running at the first turn I think she can come away from them and win.
"I gave her a short sprint on Monday and she went extra well.
"Punters should forget she ever went around when she was unplaced at her last race from box one at Wenty on February 17.
"She tore a leg muscle in that event and did not race for the following two months.
"Secretly Hot is crying out for a middle distance but can still sprint well enough to jag a 520m race at Wenty.''
Smoking Road, trained by last year's Wentworth Park premiership winner Mark Gatt, looks the dog to beat in tonight's 520m Free-For-All.
Smoking Road is clearly the most prolific city winner in the field, with eight wins and six placings from 21 Wentworth Park appearances.
Owned by his breeder Eddie Kingswell, Smoking Road is undefeated in three races since a spell so is going better than ever.
In his latest win, over 472m at Bulli on June 23, he came from fourth early to easily defeat the early leader Blocker Tifia in a fast 26.38sec.
Smoking Road is not badly positioned in box six tonight as box five is vacant and Dyna Danna, the greyhound drawn in four, lacks early speed.
Best Bet Mystic Riot (race 2)
Best Value Smoking Road (race 6)
Quaddie race 5 - 1, 7
Race 6 - 2, 5, 3
Race 7 - 6, 3, 1
Race 8 - 6, 8, 3
$20 for 37.03%
