When Billy Boil drew box one at Nowra a month ago he won by six lengths in just .26sec outside the 520m track record set by Wow more than three years ago.
The Subawa Ngurah bred, owned and trained Billy Boil will wear the red rug again and looks poised to register his first Wentworth Park win in Thursday night's Where Else But Wenty Stakes, a 520m 1-3 wins fifth grade.
At his Wentworth Park debut last Thursday night Billy Boil was desperately unlucky from box six, finishing third, beaten just over four lengths by Devious in 30.00.
This week Billy Boil should only need to get away cleanly to hold the early lead, as Tarawi Maggie, who has box two, is usually a moderate beginner, while Major McGraw, in three, wanted to move wide when he drew box one at Wentworth Park last Thursday.
Derry, who powered home to win by nine lengths in a flying 35.60 over 622m at Richmond on September 13, tackles 720m for the first time in Thursday's MDC City Qualifiers Saturday fifth grade.
At his most recent Wentworth Park appearance Derry finished brilliantly to beat subsequent city winner Dynamic Noah over 520m on September 5.
Trainer Tanya Nieuwendyk is confident Derry will see out the 720m trip, although her partner Glen Starr is more cautious.
"When dogs get to the line as strongly over 622m at Richmond as Derry has been doing, they will get 720m eight times out of 10,'' Starr said.
"But occasionally they will hit a brick wall after 700m so while we are pretty sure Derry will run it, we will be scratching our heads if he can't.
"After all, although he has won a 520m race at Wentworth Park in fair time, he doesn't really have the early pace to win many more over that distance there.''
Trainer Joe Comito intends by-passing the traditional pre-race "stir up" with Steal A March on Thursday in a bid to have the dog get away faster in the Ladbrokes WP Battlers Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
Steal A March was sent out an odds-on favourite from box three when fourth at Wentworth Park last Thursday but missed the start.
"He has drawn far more suitably in box seven this week, he wants an outside draw,'' Joe Comito said.
"Steal A March hasn't had much luck lately but that has mostly been caused by him missing the kick.
"I won't stir him up this week because I figure doing that might have put him over the top in his past couple of races and caused him to blow the start.''
Steal A March was a gift to Comito but has won three races at Wentworth Park and earned over $18,000.
"Yeah, I've certainly had a bit of fun with him,'' the owner-trainer said.
When Steal A March drew wide twice at Wentworth Park in February, he won in 29.81 from box six and in 29.88 from box seven, times which should win Thursday's race easily.
Steal A March's toughest rival is likely to be the Scott Board-trained Spring Eureka, who has box one and has won four of nine races wearing the red rug.
"Spring Eureka is a better dog than his latest form suggests and has clocked 29.67 over 520m at Richmond,'' Scott Board said.
"But he seems to have lost confidence at the first turn at Wentworth Park since taking a tumble there in a race last October.''
Board also has Spring Taipan in box one in the Ladbrokes Sports Bar Stakes and the promising Wentworth Park newcomer Spring Lyle in four in the Ladbrokes Racing Club Stakes.
He said: "Spring Taipan has a good chance if he comes out of the boxes reasonably well.
"He used to be a brilliant beginner but one night at Richmond the boxes failed to open and he hit his head anticipating the start.
"Ever since then he has been missing the start.
"Spring Lyle has won three of four starts, all over 440m at Goulburn, but I have no doubt he will run out a solid 520m.
"I have just given him a box-to-box trial at Wenty but I was disappointed with his time because he only clocked 18.30 to the back straight mark.''
Dynamic Noah chased home Ayden's Warrior at Wentworth Park on September 19 but finished six lengths ahead of that dog when he led all the way at headquarters last Thursday.
The pair meet again in Thursday's Ladbrokes Same Race Multi Stakes, a 520m 1-3 wins fifth grade.
Dynamic Noah has box one while Ayden's Warrior has drawn eight.
"Dynamic Noah pulled up well after last week's race and is perfectly drawn, because he seems to be a reliably good beginner,'' trainer Charlie Gatt said.
"But Ayden's Warrior will be hard to beat again.''
