Blabba Mouth, among greyhound racing's fan favourites of the past decade, returns to Wentworth Park on Friday night in race seven, a 520m fourth grade.
From his past 11 Wentworth Park outings the veteran, who turns six in June, has scored eight wins and three seconds and trainer Cheryl Murray believes her dog is ready to run a bold race at his first start in a month.
"When he finished third at Maitland on November 13 Blabba Mouth lost a bit of skin on one leg so I gave him some time off,'' Murray said.
"He has had a couple of hand-slips in preparation for Friday's race and in the latest he clocked a bit over 24.50 at LADBROKES GARDENS, which is pretty good.
"When Blabba Mouth is feeling really well he usually nips me on the backside when I try to go into the house and leave him outside, and he did that this week so that's a good sign.''
Hardest to beat on Friday is likely to be Ebby Infrared, who won Blabba Mouth's race at Maitland last month.
Ebby Infrared, who has box five on Friday, led throughout to win a fourth and fifth grade event at WP last Friday, clocking a nippy 30.00sec after posting fast splits of 5.42, 13.77 and 17.87.
Custom Illusion displayed brilliant early pace in his first-up Wentworth Park win last Friday and meets similar class in this week's The Daily Telegraph News Hound Stakes, 520m.
Custom Illusion produced nippy opening sections of 5.47 and 13.92 before covering the 502m in a handy 30.04 but trainer Phillip Cini considers his dog's kennelmate, Ferrier Mae, could be one of his toughest opponents on Friday.
"I know Custom Illusion won last week but my luck has soured because I had two good chances, both drawn in box one, at Gosford on Tuesday and the meeting was abandoned,'' Cini said.
"Now Custom Illusion has run into his equally talented kennelmate Ferrier Mae in the same race at Wentworth Park.
"In ability there is only a head between them but while Ferrier Mae has box one, Custom Illusion, who has box four, has more early zip.
"When Custom Illusion won last Friday he was having his first start from the 520m boxes at Wenty, as his only experience on the track previously was in a post-to-post hand-slip when he clocked 24.48.''
Friday's Nowra To Wenty Final, 520m, looks a match between heat winners Where's Ella, who has box eight, and WP newcomer Sesame, box seven.
In last Sunday's 520m heats the Garry Edwards-trained Where's Ella led throughout in 29.88, recording quick sectional times of 4.33 and 16.95.
Where's Ella handled box eight superbly at her sole Wentworth Park outing on March 20 when she led all the way in 29.99.
Sesame also led throughout in her Nowra heat, clocking 30.12 and recording splits of 4.37 and 17.09.
Sesame's trainer CHRIS O'Brien said: "I would have preferred her drawn inside but I am not unhappy about box seven.
"She has begun cleanly to win three of her past four races, at Dapto and Nowra, and I expect her to run in a straight line from the boxes to the first turn.
"I don't think she will duck across but Where's Ella is obviously going to be hard to beat.''
Best Bet Where's Ella (race 5)
Best Value Custom Illusion (race 1)
Quaddie race 5 - 8, 7
Race 6 - 1, 6, 4
Race 7 - 5, 4, 8
Race 8 - 8, 6
$20 for 55.55%
