Fire On Ice has not raced for over three months but is trialling well enough to run a big race when she exits box eight in Tonight's Ladbrokes Same Race Multi Free-For-All at Wentworth Park.
"I'm not sure she is ready to run out a strong 520m but the Gosford Cup is her mission and the heats are on December 27 I thought we had better get a move on,'' trainer Mark Moroney said.
"Box eight suits her and when I trialled Fire On Ice over 400m at Maitland last Wednesday she ran blistering splits of 5.29 and 15.59.
"When her litter brother and kennelmate FireLegend won there recently he didn't break 15.70 for his second section so she is flying.
"Her overall time of 22.42 last Wednesday was also fast for a trial morning but the Wenty race is an extra 120m so I don't expect her to run the trip out powerfully.''
Fire On Ice's toughest rival Tonight looms as Aston Zodiac, a finalist in the Casino Cup on November 27 and a brilliant front-runner with a good Wentworth Park record who is well positioned near the rails in box two.
Tonight's best bet should be Jackpot Josie, who will wear the red rug for the first time in 18 starts in the 520m Ladbrokes Odds Boost Stakes.
Jackpot Josie has won seven of 17 races despite a sequence of poor draws and had no luck when third to Ritza Rain, after coming from box four, at Wentworth Park last Wednesday.
"She pulled up well after last Wednesday's race and I expect her to win but I doubt she will be at backable odds,'' trainer George Borg said.
Super Estrella, an 18 months old "baby'' is an interesting newcomer in Tonight's first heat of the GBOTA Welcome Maiden, 520m.
Super Estrella is a daughter of the outstanding producer Esparza, who is the dam of Look Fancy Nancy, Prim And Proper, Blazing Cartier, Blazing Hype, China O'Brien, Show Me Confetti and top SA greyhound Couture.
Trainer David Smith said: "Super Estrella has box four and would be better drawn on the rails but she goes pretty well.
"Her only flaw is that she is not blessed with a lot of early pace but she is a good chaser.''
Windsor Rose pleased trainer Justin King with her third placing to Rock Or Bust at Wentworth Park last Wednesday and the consistent front runner looks nicely placed in Tonight's Congratulations On The Rocks Stakes, 520m.
"Last week Windsor Rose was having her first 520m in three months and the field was strong so it was a good effort to finish third,'' King said.
"She has only recently returned from a short spell and she seems to have come back better than ever.
"Windsor Rose had box eight last week but while boxes don't matter much to her, I've always preferred her drawn near the fence so am happy seeing her in two this week.''
Not so well positioned but still in with a strong chance is Zipping Pearson, who has drawn six in the 520m Ladbrokes Cash In Stakes.
Named after champion 100m hurdler and one of Australia's greatest Olympians Sally Pearson, Zipping Pearson was a luckless third at her only Wentworth Park appearance in a 520m Maiden heat on October 7.
She was beaten just over two lengths in 30.28 but would have run a clear second had she not collided with the runner-up at the top of the straight.
"Zipping Pearson wants the fence so box six is not much good,'' Melinda Finn, whose husband John trains the greyhound, said.
"We gave her a slip after the last at Wenty on Saturday night and she went ordinary but it was hard to gauge as it was pouring rain when she trialled.
"Zipping Pearson has early pace but is not over-strong at the finish.''
