The return of the mighty Flying Ricciardo and a mouth-watering clash between National Derby winner Zipping Moose and Jungle Deuce, who has a nearly peerless record, give tonight's Wentworth Park meeting a Saturday group night aura.
Flying Ricciardo has not raced at Wentworth Park this year but indicated he was going as brilliantly as ever by trouncing the talented Finefeuiaki in near record time over 450m at Maitland on March 1.
Kristy Sultana's speedster has box seven in tonight's Free-For-All but is undefeated in three starts wearing the black rug and has the luxury of having a vacant box on his left.
Only serious threat to Flying Ricciardo is likely to come from Unreal Ethics, whose best of the night win in 29.61 at Wentworth Park last Saturday is .08sec faster than Sultana's greyhound's best in six wins at headquarters.
But Unreal Ethics had the reputation of being a notoriously slow beginner until he jumped cleanly and took the lead on the back straight in his win from box eight on Saturday.
Jungle Deuce had won each of his four Wentworth Park starts before dwelling at box rise and finding almost non-stop trouble when sixth, from box six, at the Glebe circuit last Wednesday.
Jungle Deuce will relish moving closer to the rails to box three tonight while Zipping Moose, who had box one in his group 1 Derby win at Wentworth Park on January 15, will wear the red rug again.
Zipping Moose had box eight when he missed the jump and was badly hampered at the first turn in a heat of the Richmond Derby on February 26 and has won four of his five races when drawn from one to four.
Delighted with the box positions for his starters tonight is trainer Mark Gatt, who has unraced puppy Hudson Road in box two in the GBOTA Welcome Maiden, Road Home in seven in race two, Good Time Lenny in three in race three, and in race seven has Zipping Stewie in three.
"Hudson Road is a bit quicker than his sister Road Home, who won first-up at Wentworth Park last week and he looks suited in two because in solo trials he rails well,'' Gatt said.
"Of course a lot of dogs rail well on their own but want to get wide when they get pressure from the outside so because Hudson Road is unraced I can't be sure what he will do if that happens.
"Road Home handled box eight perfectly when she won last week so I'm pleased to see her drawn wide again.
"Good Time Lenny wants an inside box but Uno Herrera, who has drawn two against him, has tremendous early speed.
"I'm hoping Uno Herrera goes quick like she usually does and gets out of Good Time Lenny's way in the early stages.
"Zipping Stewie is in a really tough fifth grade but is an improver and after winning on debut at Wentworth Park in 30.32, he clocked 29.85 when he won last Wednesday.''
Black Chilli, who had box eight and led from the first turn before winning by four lengths in a slick 29.76 last week at Wentworth Park, has box two against Zipping Stewie.
"We would have preferred Black Chill in box eight again,'' said Ken Burnett, whose partner Mandy Brunton trains the dog.
"Black Chilli is a bit awkward and is still learning to race but he is improving constantly.
"Before he won at Wentworth Park last week we gave him six runs at Dapto for two wins and two placings and while that track does not really suit him, we figured it would teach him how to race.''
Dropping from open class masters' races to a grade three for veterans could put Bugatti Reign back in the winner's list tonight.
Bugatti Reign, who has box two in race four, has had two wins and five placings from 17 WP starts and trainer Jacqueline Davis is happy seeing her dog down in class.
"He has been outgraded at his past few starts, he can't beat dogs like Sunburnt Highway and company,'' Davis said.
"But Bugatti Reign has been running his best times in short course trials and will be hard to beat if he gets room to move early.''
