"As long as he has no bad luck he should be winning'' was how trainer Shayne Stiff summed up the prospects of Victorian-owned Zippy Tesla in Wednesday night's first, second and third grade Masters Stakes at Wentworth Park.
Owned by crack Melbourne trainers Tom and George Dailly, Zippy Tesla has box seven in the 520m event after being runner-up to Aston Barak and then Aston Uylsses in significantly tougher races at Wentworth Park on September 16 and 23.
"I tried to buy Zippy Tesla but while George Dailly refused to sell he agreed to send the dog to me to be prepared for the Masters Meteor series at next month's Million Dollar Chase carnival,'' Stiff said.
"Zippy Tesla wants the rails but had box eight when he ran second to Aston Barak and box five when he chased home Aston Ulysses.
Zippy Tesla with Shayne Stiff
"Against dogs of that calibre Zippy Tesla needs to draw inside but when he drew seven this week I joked to the Dailly boys we are getting rid of these bad boxes before getting inside alleys in the Masters Meteor heats and final.
"George and Tom Dailly sent Gypsy Yankee to me for the Masters Meteor series last year and after winning his first two starts at Wenty he finished second to Fire Legend in the $100,000 Meteor final.''
Stiff could land a double on Wednesday as he has Return Mac dropping in class in race eight, a 520m event for grades one to four.
Stiff said: "After running second to Mortified and third to Crackerjack Boom and Mortified at his past two Wentworth Park appearances, Return Mac is back in his right grade.
"He is only a 50-50 beginner but if he steps cleanly he should run 29.80 or 29.90 and that could be quick enough for him to win on Wednesday.''
Mister O'Brien was beaten 11 lengths into fifth position behind Ritza Piper, Zipping Vanessa and Zipping Kansas in the 715m Sonia Hornery Stayers Cup at Ladbrokes Gardens last Friday but plummets in class in Wednesday night's fifth event, a 720m fifth grade.
Mister O'Brien is ideally placed in box one after finishing third on August 30 and second on September 13 at his only Wentworth Park 720m outings.
Trainer Glenn Bryen said: "I wasn't disappointed with his run at The Gardens because he got crowded a bit and brushed the running rail coming into the straight the first turn.
"What pleased me was that he must have really put in because it took him a few hours to fully recover.
"He is ready to go on Wednesday and hopefully from box one he can land in a good spot in the early stages.''
Aussie's Thunder has been placed in three of four Wentworth Park starts after displaying good early pace and could break through in Wednesday's Ladbroke It! Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
Aussie's Thunder had box one and led but ran wide on the first turn when a tiring third to Zipping Caleb and Taw Commander in 29.93 at his most recent Wentworth Park outing on September 9.
At his Wentworth Park debut last Wednesday night, Good Odds Atlas had box two but after being hampered in the run to the first bend he hung on gamely to beat all but Fernando Rocker in 29.97.
That dog is up against Good Odds Atlas again but has drawn box five while Frank Hurst's greyhound looks set to get a clear run to the first bend.
Black Misery, who has box two, is a wide runner so should ensure Good Odds Atlas has a trouble-free passage coming out of the boxes.
