The reappearance of Flying Ricciardo, Australia's most exciting young speedster, gives Tonight's midweek Wentworth Park meeting a "group night'' aura with the Kristy Sultana-trained flying machine stepping out in a 520m Free-For-All.
Flying Ricciardo, whose remarkable record stands at a dozen wins and two seconds from just 14 races, has drawn box three.
Winners of those semis will qualify for the $1 million to the winner grand final at Wentworth Park a week later.
Flying Ricciardo is unbeaten in two Wentworth Park races and at his most recent racetrack appearance won the Bathurst regional final of the Million Dollar Chase on August 13, clocking near track record time of 29.58.
The dog began his career with a bang, breaking the Bulli 340m record at his first start on May 30 and since then has captured the imagination of racegoers with his front-running "catch me if you can'' style of racing.
Among Flying Ricciardo's best performances was a win over 515m at LADBROKES GARDENS on August 21, when he stopped the clock at 29.17, just .01sec outside the course record held by last year's Golden Easter Egg winner Zipping Bailey.
Thanks to his early brilliance boxes matter little to Flying Ricciardo, but Tonight he does look well drawn in three as Rhyme Not Reason, who has box four, tends to run in the centre of the track.
Poppy Jack, who qualified for the Million Dollar Chase semi-finals with a luckless third in Goulburn's 440m regional final, makes his first Wentworth Park 520m appearance in Tonight's Ladbrokes Multi Builder Stakes.
The Ruth Matic-trained greyhound has been well schooled at Wentworth Park in preparation for Tonight's race, enjoying a post-to-post hand-slip on September 19 before trialling from the 520m boxes last Tuesday night.
Big Skinny, a litter sister to boom stayer Good Juan, looks the greyhound to beat in Tonight's sole 720m event, the MDC Finals October 16 Stakes.
Big Skinny was a strong finishing second, beaten just under two lengths, by Rampant Jimmy over 618m at Richmond at her most recent outing on September 25.
"She lost ground sharply in the middle stages of that race but got to the line strongly so I think the middle distance was just a bit short for her,'' trainer Harry Sarkis said.
"Big Skinny has been racing really well and should go close to winning over Tonight's longer trip especially as she has box one, her favourite draw.''
Big Skinny won in 42.77 over the Wentworth Park 720m journey on August 26 but clocked a slick 42.37 when fourth to the mighty Blue Moon Rising over the same course on August 13.
Best value bet Tonight could be the Canowindra-trained PREMIER GRANT, who has box two in the 520m Where Else But Wenty Stakes.
PREMIER GRANT bungled the start before being hampered crossing to the rails from box seven when fifth to Jax Kade at his Wentworth Park debut last week and should relish the shift to an inside draw Tonight.
