This year's National Sprint Championship may have been scrapped due to the coronavirus but a near group one field will contest Saturday night's 472m Ladbrokes Back Yourself Free-For-All at Bulli.
Heading the star-studded line-up will be 2019 TAB Million Dollar Chase winner Good Odds Harada, fresh from his track record equalling win at Goulburn nine days ago, Paws Of Thunder victor King Cratos, Bulli and Maitland Gold Cup placegetter Ebby Infrared and Lightning VISION, whose 29.53s was among last year's fastest Wentworth Park times.
Lightning VISION, unbeaten in three starts since a spell, over 400m at Bulli and 440m at Goulburn, is also undefeated from box one, the draw he has on Saturday.
But trainer Neil Staines is far from confident due to the calibre of Lightning VISION's opposition.
"My dog can't afford to bust a bootlace can he?'' Staines quipped.
"I'm not making excuses but I am a bit concerned Lightning VISION might be a fraction under-done stepping up to 472 metres against a field like this.
"But he will be up there near the lead at some stage of the race and in his favour is that Good Odds Harada is sitting out in box five.
"I also have a huge opinion of Michael Eberand's dog Ebby Infrared, whose personal best at Bulli of 26.08 is the quickest in the race.''
Despite having to wear the yellow rug, Good Odds Harada has been beginning so cleanly he looks capable of overcoming the dreaded "squeeze'' draw.
Shanjo Prince, who has box four, and Ouzo, in six, are not renowned for their eary speed so providing he gets away smartly Good Odds Harada looks poised to notch his 27th win in 59 starts.
Knighthood, a winner of 10 from 21 races, has not started for five weeks but trainer Peter Lagogiane has the dog ready to run a big race in Saturday night's Ladbrokes Cash Out Stakes, a 472m fourth and fifth grade.
"Knighthood cracked his shoulder when he was an unraced puppy so has to be sparingly raced,'' Lagogiane said.
"After he won at Wentworth Park on March 11 he was a bit tender in the same shoulder so I gave him some time off.
"But he is raring to go again and has been trialling as fast as ever.''
This is another quality race with Zipping Sultan, a winner of six from seven races in box seven, Ritza Coen, chasing his sixth win in 14 starts in four, and boom youngster Here Comes Joe drawn on the rails.
Here Comes Joe won six of his first eight starts but has been slightly disappointing in finishing third and sixth at his most recent appearances at Bulli and Goulburn so Zipping Sultan is likely to start favourite.
For Saturday's best Bulli bet it is impossible to go past the Michelle Sultana-trained Unison, who has box six in the Ladbrokes Protest Payout Stakes, a 472m fifth grade.
Sultana has placed Unison to perfection as this brilliant beginner led throughout to win a similar race over the same course last Saturday by six lengths in a blistering 26.20, fastest time of the night.
At his only previous Bulli 472m test Unison made the pace but was caught in the last stride by boom youngster Nangar Rust, widely considered the "hottest'' prospect in NSW.
Saturday night's 400m Free-For-All has attracted a worthy field but punters are likely to stick with Hardaway Harada, whose only recent blemish was a sixth, from his favourite position, box one, in a Richmond 330m race on April 8.
Hardaway Harada, who went into that event with a remarkable tally of 32 wins from 60 starts, missed the jump badly before colliding heavily after 75m.
On Saturday the Ron Marsden-trained dog has box one and is endeavouring to notch his ninth win in 11 appearances while sporting the red coat.
