Aston Barak should have no trouble completing a Wentworth Park hat-trick after drawing box one in race four, a 520m fifth grade, on Saturday night.
The Jason Fletcher-trained dog has won his past two starts at headquarters in slick times of 29.74 and 29.98 and is not only the sole runner to have broken 30sec at Wentworth Park but is the only dual city winner in the field.
Aston Barak posted fast opening splits of 5.49 and 13.84 in his June 9 win after clocking 5.50 and 13.81 in his nine lengths' winning romp on May 12.
Trainer Ashley Dwyer is confident Special Blend will bring his fine provincial form to town when he contests Saturday night's opening event, a 520m fifth grade.
Special Blend has won six of 13 races on out-of-town tracks but has been unplaced in two Wentworth Park appearances.
At his most recent outing Special Blend was a strong finishing second, beaten a length, behind Zulu Warlord in a heat of the GRNSW Country Challenge at Bathurst last Monday.
"If Zulu Warlord was in Saturday night's race he would be a $1.30 favourite,'' Dwyer said.
"Since Special Blend finished down the course at Wentworth Park on June 2 I have taken him back to Wenty to trial and he clocked 29.90.
"A repeat of that time on Saturday should mean he just wins.''
After Ebby Jet Power's close second to Bones McCoy in a heat of the GRNSW Country Challenge at LADBROKES GARDENS on June 11 trainer Michael Eberand intended to give the dog a short break.
"But he is jumping out of his skin, he is too well to leave at home so he will go around in Saturday night's Free-For-All,'' Eberand said.
"Even though Ebby Jet Power has won 13 races at Wentworth Park I thought his second at The Gardens was among his best performances, because he chased home Bones McCoy who is a serious dog.
"Box seven looks fine for Ebby Jet Power on Saturday, he just needs room to move early.''
Fence Lady looks drawn to shrug off her "box one hoodoo'' by leading all the way in Saturday night's Beanies For Brain Cancer Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
Fence Lady is a brilliant beginner and as her name suggests, a keen railer, yet she has not been able to win in six races wearing the red rug.
Last Saturday night Fence Lady jumped fast from box five but was badly checked trying to cross to the rails by her kennelmate Good Odds Rebel, who went on to win the race.
"She should relish having box one but for some reason she seems to go best from boxes two or three,'' owner Tate Corless said.
Trainer Andrew Bell said: "Fence Lady pulled up well after her unlucky fifth last week and we're hopeful she can get her first win out of box one on Saturday.''
FORBES trainer Jack Smith's Midnight Flash is a last start Wentworth Park winner from box one but he is disappointed with her box six draw against Fence Lady.
Smith is also less than enthusiastic about Miss Ezmae drawing box seven in race five, a 520m fifth grade.
Winner of the Bill & Peg Miller Memorial from box five at Dubbo on May 28, Miss Ezmae clocked a slick 29.92 winning from box one at Wentworth Park on June 5.
"Miss Ezmae had box eight when third to Zipping Kyrgios in a GRNSW Country Challenge heat at Dubbo last Saturday and that run was okay,'' Smith said.
"She has only had six starts and is still learning how to handle wide draws.''
