Ritza Piper has not tackled the Wentworth Park 720m trip for six weeks but a near record win over 600m at LADBROKES GARDENS on Saturday suggests she is ready to enhance her impressive metropolitan long-distance record on Wednesday night.
Ritza Piper, who has had three wins and a second in five Wentworth Park 720m appearances, finished powerfully to win easily at LADBROKES GARDENS in 34.21, just .03sec outside track record figures.
On Wednesday the Joe Scerri-trained bitch will exit box four in the Ladbrokes Bet Ticker Stakes, a 720m fifth grade, and seems graded to win.
While Ritza Piper has won three long distance events at Wentworth Park, her only rivals to have scored over the 720m journey, with a single win apiece, are Nice Ebby and Belle Intention.
Ritza Piper shapes as Wednesday night's best bet while Lady Divine, another who appears well placed, stands out for value in the sixth event, a 520m fifth grade.
The Kerry Drynan-trained, owned and bred Lady Divine will exit box five for the first time in her brief career which has seen her record four wins and three placings from 11 Wentworth Park 520m outings.
Box five should not present a problem as while Lady Divine is a keen railer, her talent for being able to begin cleanly has enabled her to overcame awkward draws and she led throughout from box eight in a slick 29.97 at Wentworth Park on November 16.
Zambora Tiger, who boasts an impressive strike rate of seven wins from just 16 starts, resumes after 10 weeks on the sidelines in Wednesday's ninth race, a 520m fifth grade.
"She has been out with pin muscle and hip support injuries but is trialling as good as ever,'' trainer Scott Tyson said.
"This will be Zambora Tiger's first 520m test for a long while so she could be one run short but if she nails the start I expect her to win.
"Each of her seven wins have been from even numbered draws because she barks once she is boxed so goes better when she is in the second line before being placed away.
Numb won Friday night's opening Wentworth Park race and on Wednesday her litter brother Coight will attempt a repeat performance by taking out the 520m NSW GBOTA Welcome Maiden Stakes.
Coight, who has been placed in two of three Wentworth Park outings, is trained for owner-breeder Lakis Michael by Jimmy Higgins, who experienced group 1 glory in 2008 when he trained Lend Us Fifty to win the Peter Mosman Classic at Wenty.
Coight was beaten seven lengths into third place in a similar race at Wentworth Park last Wednesday but had no luck as he was badly checked at the first turn.
"He fell at Goulburn on November 4 and that shook him up a bit, it has taken him a while to get over it,'' Higgins said.
"Coight is capable of running 30.20 at Wentworth Park and before his first start there on December 14 I had given him a few trials there and he clocked 24.50 and 24.60 in post-to-post hand-slips.
"He is on the improve although Leg Speed, who finished second when Coight ran third last week, looks hard to beat on Wednesday because he seems to be well drawn in box seven.
"Coight still has time on his side because he only turned two on New Year's Day.''
