Kanzan was meant to be resting up this week but circumstances will see the up-and-coming stayer back in action at Wentworth Park and boxed to win Saturday night's 720m Ladbrokes Info Hub Stakes.
Kanzan has drawn the rails in one of the last "dress rehearsals'' for the heats of the group 1 National Distance Championship at Wentworth Park on August 4.
"After Kanzan finished second to Veloce Nero at Wenty last Saturday I planned to freshen her up and just give her a trial over a shorter distance to top her off for the National Championship heats,'' trainer John Smart said.
"But the graders were short of long-distance entries for this week and phoned asking me to nominate Kanzan.
"I left it up to Clinton Payne, head of the syndicate which owns her, and he told me to send her around.
"Kanzan pulled up perfectly after finishing second last week and can run all day so having the additional long-distance gallop won't do her any harm.''
Kanzan had box eight last week and at the first turn she was badly hampered when attempting to negotiate a passage across to where she likes to race, on the rails.
Obviously Smart is delighted to see Kanzan in box one while equally "chuffed'' at his greyhound's box draw on Saturday night is Bob "Chook'' McColm, who has Mr Shire in box eight in the other 720m event, the Duke's Ladbrokes Previews Stakes.
Mr Shire resumed from a spell in a 600m race at LADBROKES GARDENS on July 13 and was a certainty beaten, going down by a nose to front running middle distance performer Izzy Power.
Mr Shire was skittled in the early stages and badly checked again going through the catching pen where he was giving the leaders a dozen lengths start.
After still being six lengths off the lead on the back straight, Mr Shire flashed down the outside to go under in the tightest of photo finishes.
"I'm very happy with box eight on Saturday because when he draws wide over 720m at Wentworth Park he is much less likely to strike interference,'' McColm said.
"Mr Shire was going to be retired a couple of months back but is going really well again, and he is not far off his absolute best.''
Mr Shire has won five of his nine Wentworth Park 720m outings and has a great record from box eight, winning four of six appearances.
Another greyhound ideally positioned in box eight on Saturday night is the in-form Narcissist, who will wear the pink rug in race three, a 520m fifth grade.
Narcissist has won only one of five Wentworth Park races but has not raced in the city since November and is in much better touch now.
When he stormed home to run down the tearaway leader Tom's Desire over 472m at Bulli last Saturday, Narcissist notched his third successive provincial win.
Narcissist's trainer Jason Magri could land a winning double as he has National Sprint Championship hopeful Catch Me Curly in box four in race six, the Ladbrokes Multimaker Free-For-All.
Catch Me Curly is among the most improved sprinters in training and was a great second to last year's National Sprint Championship winner Jury at his latest start, over 520m at Brisbane's Albion Park on July 12.
Catch Me Curly is usually a smart beginner and with a lack of early zip among the three dogs drawn inside him on Saturday, and the presence of Rostered On, who gets a little wide and has box five, he is capable of going straight to the lead.
Until he fell at his most recent Wentworth Park outing on June 16, Catch Me Curly had recorded four wins and a second from his previous six races at headquarters.
Best Bet Kanzan (race 2)
Best Value Narcissist (race 3)
Quaddie race 5 - 4, 8, 2
Race 6 - 4, 5, 6
Race 7 - 2, 8, 1
Race 8 - 6, 8
$20 for 37.03%
