Bezzecchi, who goes into Saturday night's fourth semi-final of the Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase as the second fastest dog to race at Wentworth Park, will have no trouble handling his box seven draw according to owner-trainer Paul Stuart.
Although the dog, named after Italian Grand Prix motor-cycle racer Marco Bezzecchi, has not worn the black rug in his previous 15 races, his WA trainer Stuart said: "He is accustomed to bad boxes because he has hardly drawn anywhere else.
"And even if he doesn't lead, Bezzecchi is pretty good at threading his way through the field.''
Bezzecchi has drawn wide in three previous starts, coming out of boxes six and box eight, and is undefeated from those outside alleys.
His Sydney caretaker trainer Minnie Finn said: "I didn't think he was going to run 29.12 in his Heat last week but when he came out as good as he did from box four I expected him to clock around 29.30.
"He pulled up terrific so there is no reason why he can't win again.''
Explicit, rated by his prolific Group 1 winning Victorian trainer Jason Thompson as being "as good as any he has trained" will make his first WP appearance from box three in Saturday's first Million Dollar Chase semi-final.
Thompson said: "Explicit has had a trial at Wentworth Park so he knows his way around the track.
"I think he is the best dog in the race so expect him to go well.''
No wonder Thompson's confidence is high, because when Explicit won his MDC Regional Final over 457m at Temora on September 4 he set a new track record of 25.16.
The great She's A Pearl, who won the 2022 Million Dollar Chase final at Wentworth Park in race record time of 29.32, stepped out over 457m at Temora 10 months later and clocked a record of 25.38, a hefty .22sec slower than Explicit's new figures.
Xerri, trained by Darryl Thomas, was beaten less than two lengths when runner-up to Handsome Prince in 2020 Million Dollar Chase, but on Saturday night Thomas and his partner, trainer Michelle Sultana, have three strong semi-final prospects.
Sultana has Rinsed The Lot in box eight in the third semi-final, You Never Lose in box three in the fourth semi and her Group 2 Black Top winner Sunset Frazier in box three in the sixth semi.
Rinsed The Lot won his only start from box eight, over 400m at Maitland in a flying 22.05, and Sultana is delighted with her dog's outside slot on Saturday.
"I like him out there because he won't get bothered by other dogs like he could from an inside or middle box,'' Sultana said.
"If he misses the kick Rinsed The Lot will run straight and should be able to get around them.
"You Never Lose wants an inside box so he has a nice draw and Sunset Frazier, while he has not raced at Wenty, had a box-to-box trial there on Tuesday and went well.''
Victorian trainer Tom Dailly, who won the 2013 and 2015 Golden Easter Egg finals at WP with Grigorieva Bale and Fernando Bale, is chasing his first Million Dollar Chase with SMOOTH PLANE in Saturday's eighth semi-final.
"She will go into the race 'cold' without having seen the track but she only needs to run in the first four to make the final.
"Ethanol Water has box three but draws don't seem to worry her at all and for a stayer she has good early pace.
"Her win over 715m at Sandown on October 3 really pleased me and it was that performance that made me decide to bring her to Sydney for the Cup.''
Ethanol Water's toughest rivals are fellow Victorian-trained Ella's Babe, owned by Sydney thoroughbred bookmaker Mark Alati, and Exploded, Victorian-owned but trained in NSW by Jason Mackay.
Exploded is early favourite for the Sydney Cup final after being undefeated in three Wentworth Park 720m starts.
Heat two of the 720m Cup features the clash of front-running Grafton stayer She Is Fire with Sydney-owned, Queensland-trained champion Valpolicella and up-and-coming stayer Aunt Virginia, trained in Victoria.
Aunt Virginia has not raced over 720m at Wentworth Park but boasts an outstanding record in 520m events at the Glebe course, including a blistering 29.49 performance.
