A sharp drop in class and a shift from box four to box one should enable Salute To Excel to score his first Wentworth Park win on Saturday night.
The Allen Williams-trained dog will wear the red rug in race four, a 520m fifth grade, after coming from box four and finishing third in a Free-For-All over the same course on January 29.
In that race Salute To Excel chased the winner, Hardaway Harada, to the home turn, before being run down in the straight by Cawborne Marty, who grabbed second placing.
Salute To Excel has been placed in three from six Wentworth Park outings but has won 12 from 27 races at the provincials and has the early speed to make full use of his inside draw.
Zest To Excel, who has box eight in race five, another 520m fifth grade, could give Williams a winning double as she seems ideally positioned out wide.
Zest To Excel missed the jump and was a distant fourth on the back straight before finishing strongly out wide when second to Ouzo in a similar race at Wentworth Park on February 1.
She has been placed in two from four Wentworth Park appearances but like her kennelmate Salute To Excel, Zest Of Excel has starred at the provincials where she has won nine of 30 races.
Hardest for Zest To Excel to beat could be former Victorian Tink, who has had four wins and a second in five 365m races at Nowra for local trainer Karen Midson.
Midson's husband Glenn said they expect Tink to cope with the longer distance of 520m on Saturday night.
"Tink came to us with a reputation for being just average but she has not put a foot wrong here, beginning fast and doing everything right,'' Glenn Midson said.
"In a couple of post-to-post trials at Dapto she ran home strongly and did the same when we gave her a slip from the catching pen at Wenty.
"We would have liked to have given her another look at Wenty but the trials on Tuesday night were called off.''
Zipping Phil has not started since winning at Wentworth Park on December 6 but is set to win Saturday night's second event, a 520m fifth grade.
Zipping Phil clocked a slick 29.94 in his December win from box one and has the same draw on Saturday.
"He has been out with a minor wrist injury and I decided to give him plenty of time to get right again,'' trainer Michelle Sultana said.
"Zipping Phil, who can show early dash, has his best box and has been trialling well.''
Former Victorian Tippa, who has been placed in each of four NSW races for trainer Mark Gatt, should get punters off to a good start after drawing box one in Saturday's opening race, the 520m fifth grade Ladbrokes Odds Boost Stakes.
"Tippa has put in a couple of good runs for me at Dapto and I think he will appreciate being drawn on the fence,'' Gatt said.
"Hopefully he will make full use of his good box.''
Gatt's old warrior Rita's Boy resumes from a lengthy spell in Saturday's Dan's Last Dash Stakes, a 520m masters' event, and will be lining up for his 93rd Wenty appearance.
"Rita's Boy has had a couple of little issues but is going okay again,'' Gatt said.
"Because he has not raced since November he may need another run or two to get back to his best form.''
Saturday night's best value bet should be Poacher, who has box seven in race eight, a 520m third and fourth grade.
Poacher, a good railer, should relish having a vacant box on his left and was runner-up to Oh Mickey in the group 1 Ladbrokes National Derby on January 24.
A week later Poacher came from fifth at the first turn to finish third to Tennessee Tiger in a 520m Free-For-All at WP and drops in grade on Saturday night.
Best Bet Salute To Excel (race 4)
Best Value Poacher (race 8)
Quaddie race 5 - 8, 6, 4
Race 6 - 3, 5, 6
Race 7 - 1, 6
Race 8 - 7, 4, 5
$20 for 37.03%
