Fan favourite Sunburnt Highway should have little trouble in notching his 17th Wentworth Park win on Saturday night when he steps out in a 520m Masters event for the second time.
Sunburnt Highway, who became eligible for veteran races when he turned four last month, led from the first turn to defeat Dandy Dale and Blue Moon Rising at his most recent Wentworth Park outing on August 29.
The dog exited box four in that race and meets what appears to be weaker opposition in Saturday's second event where he will wear the yellow jacket.
If Sunburnt Highway takes his overall record to 27 wins from 105 appearances he will lift his earnings for owner-trainers Judith and John Richardson to $137,290.
When Stanley Road won on debut at Wentworth Park on August 26 in a sizzling 29.80, running home in an outstanding 11.62, those figures surprised punters but not trainer Mark Gatt.
Stanley Road makes his second Wentworth Park appearance in Saturday night's MDC 2020 It's On Stakes, a 520m fifth grade, and has drawn ideally in box one.
"He has got his box but he probably needs to get away cleanly because Peaky Pub, in box two, could put pressure on Stanley Road in the run to the first turn,'' Gatt said.
"Stanley Road has always been a fast dog and has consistently clocked fast times in trials.
"But he finished unplaced in his first three starts, at Goulburn and Bulli, and just wasn't putting it together on race night,
"So I gave him some time off and before he won at Wentworth Park in 29.80 he had trialled very quick there.''
Northern Rivers trainer Tyson Barton works on Queensland oil rigs but because of the border closure has been forced to make his living with his greyhounds and Miyazaki has "stepped up to the plate'' for him.
Miyazaki has won her past four starts over 480m at Grafton, 484m at Casino and 520m at Lismore, and makes her first Sydney appearance in Saturday's opening event, the 520m GBOTA Welcome Stakes.
"I have not been to Wentworth Park before so we are both having our first look at the track,'' Barton said.
"Until fairly recently Miyazaki's form was nothing flash but while she took awhile to put it all together she has been going really well lately.
"She is capable of beginning smartly but tends to get off the track a little so she could move a bit wide from box three.''
Zipping Bram was far from disgraced when fourth at his 720m debut at Wentworth Park on September 5 and should score his first long distance win in Saturday's Where Else But Wenty Stakes.
On September 5 Zipping Bram was sent out a $2.20 favourite on the strength of outstanding middle distance race form and trial times but wound up fourth, beaten three lengths, to $81 chance Silent Shadow.
Zipping Bram and the winner staged a head-and-head battle for the lead for most of the race, before the winner shook off her rival approaching the home bend.
"I was happy with Zipping Bram's run that night because he and Silent Shadow worried the life out of each other for much of the race,'' trainer Michael Hardman said.
Although Zipping Bram is a wide runner who will start from box one on Saturday, he has a good record from the rails trap, winning two of his four starts.
