When Bow Buster finished down the course at his only Wentworth Park appearance there was a good excuse - he had broken a toe during the race - but he is ready to put that behind him on Wednesday night.
Bow Buster has had three wins and two placings from five starts since resuming from eight months on the sideline and trainer Justin King expects the dog to continue that form in the 280m Ladbrokes Money Back Odds Stakes at Wentworth Park.
"When he finished seventh there on September 7 he pulled up with a broken toe, then he suffered a severe muscle injury before coming down with a virus,'' King said.
"He showed promise when broken in but after suffering all these problems he is flying at the moment.
"Starting from box one in this fifth grade looks made to order.''
In his only defeats this preparation Bow Buster has made the pace in 400m races at Bulli before fading in the straight, so the shorter distance at Wentworth Park should suit.
Joe Satti, who has been enjoying a remarkable run of success with the first offspring of his former smart bitch Utah Miss, will lead out the first Wentworth Park starter from the litter when Utah Blues exits box seven in Wednesday's 520m Ladbrokes Switch Stakes.
Utah Blues has recorded two slick wins and a third in three outings over 400m and 472m at Bulli and is tipped to go well at Wentworth Park following a smart 520m trial there on Saturday night.
"I trialled him after the last race and Utah Blues clocked 30.10, posting a quick first split of 5.44,'' Satti said.
"He got tired because his run home was only around the 12.08 mark but he can get the distance okay because he has been recording 30.70 in trials over 535m at Richmond.''
Vixen's Image has the prized rails box against Utah Blues and has had two wins from her past four starts but trainer Owen Langley is not confident.
"Vixen's Image is a good little trier but she has limited ability,'' Langley said.
GINA Keeping (pictured), who has won six of 10 short course races, will tackle 520m for the first time in Wednesday night's Keep Your Distance Stakes.
GINA Keeping, who has box seven, has won over 440m at Goulburn and 400m at Bulli and Richmond but trainer Jason Magri said she is capable of seeing out the longer trip at WP if she can set the pace.
"She can run 520m but has to be able to get to the front early because she is not strong at the finish,'' Magri said.
Hardest for GINA Keeping to beat will be the Peter Lagogiane-trained Offline and Legendary Lass, whose trainer Brett May has had a long absence from WP.
He won at Wentworth Park in November, 2015, with Shoulders, while his group 1 National Futurity winning bitch Daydream won five from nine Wenty starts in 2010.
The small field on Wednesday will suit Offline and May's bitch Legendary Lass as they are likely to be able to "sit'' behind GINA Keeping, the expected pacemaker.
Jason Magri's best chance on Wednesday looks to be Zipping Ivy, who has box one in the 520m We Love The Dogs Stakes.
A winner of seven from 21 outings, Zipping Ivy has not raced for more than a month but Magri expects her to figure in the finish.
"Zipping Ivy is trialling well enough to win,'' Magri said.
Best value bet on Wednesday should be the consistent Sam Sultana-trained Esther's Diva, who has box six in the 520m Ladbrokes Back Yourself.
A good beginner with early speed, Esther's Diva can see out a solid 520m and while she has not raced previously at WP, she has posted two wins and seven placings from her past 11 starts.
