Weffalee Shield was a luckless second at his Wentworth Park debut last Saturday night and trainer Tony FORBES believes the dog can go one better from box one in this Saturday's opening event.
Weffalee Shield will wear the red rug in heat one of the 520m 1-4 wins fifth grade series and FORBES is rapt to see his dog on the rails.
"When he finished third last week that was the first time he had ever been over 520 metres,'' FORBES said.
"I had given him a look at Wentworth Park but that was only in a post-to-post slip so he had not been out of the boxes and gone the full distance.
"Going into the first turn last week Weffalee Shield was looking for the rails but the winner Tangible Asset, who had box one, wanted to shift off the track a little and they collided.
"I think my bloke copped the worst of the collision but he is ideally positioned this week.
"He is a big 36 to 37kg dog but he is a terrific railer.
"The Gardens is a tight track but he rails like a bird around there.''
Best bet on Saturday night should be boom youngster Zipping Novak (pictured), who will be chasing his sixth win in eight Wentworth Park appearances when he exits box five in the Clemo's Sausage Sizzle Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
Zipping Novak looks well placed in this class as his seven rivals have won only 11 Wentworth Park races between them.
Main danger looms as Gatlin, winner of the group 1 Vic Peters Classic at Wentworth Park last month.
The John Finn-trained Gatlin is going as well or even better now as he was when he won the Classic from box one, and was unlucky when third, beaten 10 lengths in Embrace's sizzling 29.68 fourth and fifth grade win at Wentworth Park on August 11.
But Gatlin has box six on Saturday and it is hard to see him running around Zipping Novak, who has drawn five, and winning.
Zipping Novak's kennelmate Zipping Kansas, who is first reserve for Saturday week's National Distance Championship, looks a safe wager in Saturday's top grade 720m event.
Zipping Kansas has box one and while his fastest Wentworth Park 720m time of 41.57 was recorded from box eight, trainer Jason Magri considers the dog now prefers to be drawn near the rails.
Zipping Kansas had box three when he chased Super Estrella all the way in the NSW Distance Championship at Wentworth Park on August 11, recording a flying 41.62 in defeat.
