It took the powerhouse that is Zipping Megatron to inflict Not Without's only box one loss but on Friday night at Wentworth Park the Jane Carruthers-trained dog should make it three wins from four starts wearing the red rug.
Not Without has drawn the rails in heat six of the Ausure Ultra Sense, a 520m fifth grade, and it's hard to imagine a more suitably boxed competitor.
Carruthers' greyhound looks certain to get a perfect passage in the all-important run to the first bend as Great Flash and Pinned, drawn in two and three, are extremely wide runners.
Not Without had won each of his two races from box one before being run down by Zipping Megatron at Wentworth Park on March 23.
In that race Not Without dwelt at the start before heading off early leader Marvel Zombie entering the back straight only to be "swamped" by Golden Easter Egg semi-finalist Zipping Megatron over the concluding stages.
A sharp drop in class in heat eight of the Ausure Ultra Sense could see Nangar Archie back in the Wentworth Park winners' list for the first time since November 2022.
Nangar Archie is well positioned in box two after being runner-up in three of his past four starts behind Hooked On Fame, Shanghai Suzie, and Good Odds Cobber.
Ricky Brewer, whose wife Caitlyn trains Nangar Archie, said: "This race certainly seems like a big drop in class because he has been racing group dogs at his past few starts.
"From box two he looks to have a great chance of being the early leader and if he leads I think he will just about win.''
Nangar Archie
Brewer believes Nangar Archie's kennel mate Irinka Digby can cause an upset at a good price in heat seven of the Ausure Ultra Sense.
Miss Zig Zag resumes after nearly four months in heat four of the Ausure Ultra Sense, and trainer Syd Swain is confident that despite having box five, his bitch will set up a big early lead.
"She is flying but because this is her first run back Miss Zig Zag will get tired,'' Swain said.
"I trialled her recently over 280m at Wentworth Park and she clocked 15.82, just a tenth outside the record.
"Since then Miss Zig Zag has smashed the post-to-post record at Lithgow but I've had to rush her a bit to have her ready for this race so whatever she does on Friday she will improve upon.''
Miss Zig Zag
Trainer Steve Fitch considers his dogs Cumbria Mal (box one) and Cumbria Kid (box eight) are drawn "upside down" in heat one of the GRNSW Masters Stakes, 520m.
"Cumbria Mal wants to get wide while Cumbria Kid prefers the inside so I'm hoping they can finish in the top four and qualify for the final on April 13,'' Fitch said.
"Although Cumbria Kid finished second to Jay Is Jay in the Million Dollar Chase, his brother Cumbria Days is a little bit quicker but he too has drawn the wrong side of the track in box eight in heat two.''
