Crazy Old Goat became eligible for Masters racing when he turned four on Monday and trainer Andrew Weise is hoping to celebrate his 12-time winner moving into veteran class with a win at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night.
Crazy Old Goat, who has box six in the 520m Ladbrokes Easy Form Masters, has not raced for nearly two months but Weise said: "He has been trialling the house down.
"At Gosford last Wednesday I trialled him over 515m and he clocked 29.60 while a week earlier he had recorded 30.10 at Wentworth Park.''
That time is a mere .09sec outside Crazy Old Goat's fastest Wentworth Park figures of 30.01, posted in November, 2020.
The wide draw has not done any favours for Crazy Old Goat and the Nathan Goodwin-trained kennelmates Angry Blizzard (box three) and Zipping Brady (box two) will be favoured to beat him.
Goodwin said: "My pair are well drawn because the closer to the fence they are the better they like it.
"On current Wentworth Park form I'd have to lean to Angry Biizzard but in sheer ability there is nothing between them and their recent Albion Park times are virtually identical.
"But there does not seem to be a lot of early pace in this race so Angry Blizzard has a good chance of leading all the way.''
Magic Flame will exit box one for the first time in Wednesday night's fifth event, a 520m fourth and fifth grade, and trainer Michael Ivers is delighted with her draw.
"In most of her recent Wentworth Park races Magic Flame has had a strong, good dog sitting right behind her early and then running her down,'' Ivers said.
"From box one she might be able to get out and get away from her rivals, although Zipping Sapporo, who has box eight, will be hard to beat.
"She has clocked 29.61 at Wentworth Park and Magic Flame can't run that.''
Hope McGraw's only Wentworth Park win was in 30.12 on January 22 but those figures are far quicker than those of any of his rivals in race seven on Wednesday, a 520m fifth grade.
Hope McGraw finished fourth, beaten nine lengths from box five at Wentworth Park last Wednesday, but trainer Michael Hardman's father Frank, a former leading Sydney trainer and a particularly keen judge, was rapt in the run.
"Dad phoned me to say he thought Hope McGraw's effort was terrific and he is tipping her to win this week,'' Michael Hardman said.
"Recently I trialled both Hope McGraw and Can't Catch Ivy, who has box one in race 10, at Wentworth Park, and they went as quick as their kennelmate Analysing, who has won her past two races at the track.
"Can't Catch Ivy has finished second at three of her past four starts but has kept running into one better than her.
"But from box one she gets her chance to lead throughout this week.''
After drawing box one She's A Pearl, early favourite for the Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg, will be a hot favourite to win Wedesday's 520m Free-For-All.
She's A Pearl has not previously worn the red rug but she won each of her races from boxes two and three and her personal best Wentworth Park figures of 29.46 are considerably quicker than those of her opponents.
