The first Sydney appearance of Friday's Geelong Cup winner Yozo Bale has the fourth annual Masters Meteor series getting off to an exciting start with the Victorian star clashing with crack NSW duo Ritza Gloria and Kooringa Lucy in the first heat on Wednesday night at Wentworth Park.
Yozo Bale went within three lengths of the track record when he won the group 2 Geelong Cup over 520m and while Ritza Gloria (box one) and Kooringa Lucy (box six) have been in slashing form they will need to be at their absolute peak to repel the Correy Grenfell-trained Victorian invader.
Yozo Bale is a good railer but has had three wins and six placings from nine races out of box eight, his draw on Wednesday.
"He hasn't been to Wentworth Park but Yozo Bale is going sensationally at present,'' Grenfell said.
"Early in his career he tended to crash towards the rails when he drew wide but he doesn't do that now.
"Although he will look for the fence he won't veer hard left and after pulling up perfectly following his Geelong Cup win he is ready to go again.''
Yozo Bale turned four in March and was a Geelong Cup finalist in 2020 and runner-up in the same race last year before running down Aston Merit to win Friday's 2022 version.
Fire Legend will take his earnings over the $200,000 mark if he wins heat three of the Masters Meteor.
The Mark Moroney-trained veteran is in fine form, registering three wins and three placings from his past six starts, with his latest outing resulting in a fast finishing victory over 350m at Grafton on Sunday night.
"Everyone seems to think Fire Legend needs an inside box but I don't mind him drawn wide and I think he is boxed nicely in seven on Wednesday,'' Moroney said.
"In October he had box eight in the Lismore Cup and was in second spot behind Louis Rumble coming out of the catching pen.
"Two months later he had box eight in a top grade race at Dapto and led at the first turn so I think he is drawn okay on Wednesday.''
Fire Legend's rivals on Wednesday include Wentworth Park specialist Diamantina Rose, who was retired in December.
She has made a comeback with the Masters Meteor series in mind and has scored 10 of her 14 wins at Wentworth Park.
Diamantina Rose's trainer Christine Proctor said: "Because she has not race this year she could be a fraction under-done for her heat.''
Lots Of Chatter, whose recent Wentworth Park form in Masters races has been first class, is likely to be sent out favourite despite drawing box four while Angry Blizzard, another in-form veteran, is nicely positioned in three.
Easiest of the three Meteor qualifying races looks to be heat two, where Wentworth Park's most prolific winner Sunburnt Highway will be chasing his 39th success at headquarters.
Trainer Judith Richardson intends retiring Sunburnt Highway after the Masters Meteor series.
Sunburnt Highway's main stumbling block on Wednesday looms as Ebby Infrared, who has had three wins and two placings from his past six outings and will chalk up his 50th win at start number 127 if he scores on Wednesday.
Ebby Infrared's trainer Michael Eberand said: "My dog is probably going into this race a run short as he is coming off a three weeks break and a 400m race at Bulli on April 19.
"But he went nicely when he finished third at Bulli and to offset his lack of recent racing I have been giving him plenty of swimming to boost his fitness.''
