Litter brothers Allan Keeping and Robert Keeping have each won their past three starts at Wentworth Park and the Jason Magri-trained pair will be hot favourites to maintain that superb form at headquarters on Thursday night.
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Allan Keeping has box one in the top grade 520m race, the Mark Hughes Foundation Stakes, while Robert Keeping will exit box two in the Ladbrokes Odds Surge Stakes, a 520m fourth and fifth grade.
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Jason Magri said: "Robert Keeping has always been slightly quicker than his brother but Allan Keeping has kept improving so there is not much between them now.
"Allan Keeping is perfectly boxed and has a personal best Wentworth Park time of 29.67.
"I used to believe Robert Keeping wanted an inside draw but he has won his past three Wentworth Park races from boxes seven and eight so he would probably be better off drawn on the outside.
"When he draws wide he can round them up going into the first turn.
"But Robert Keeping is a fast dog and when he gets the start right he can run 29.40 or 29.50.''
Neville Brown, whose bitch Mia Magnifico ran a mighty race when third, from an unsuitable box eight draw at Wentworth Park last Saturday night, is delighted to see her in box one on Thursday.
"I was extremely happy with Mia Magnifico's inside draw until I noticed that Robert Keeping had box two'' Brown said.
"Robert Keeping has clocked 29.38 at Wenty and my bitch can't go anywhere near that quick, about 29.70 pulls her up.
"But she is going well and after missing the jump from box eight last Saturday, another dog ran her off the track at the first turn.
"So her run was great and she went well when I gave her a slip on Tuesday morning.''
Mia Magnifico
Most interesting entry on Thursday is Supermaxi, who will be having his first start for 10 weeks and only his fourth race in nearly a year when he jumps from box one in the NSW GBOTA Welcome Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
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Supermaxi made his race debut from box five at Wentworth Park on April 19, 2024, but after missing the jump was never out of trouble and failed to beat a rival home.
Since then, the Jane Carruthers-trained dog has had eight starts for six wins and two seconds, over 340m at Bulli and 320m or 401m at Richmond, his home track.
Trainer Jane Carruthers' husband John said: "We have had a lot of trouble with Supermaxi which is why he is so lightly raced.
"He is not a bad galloper, but he hasn't been out of the 520m boxes at Wentworth Park since his maiden race over a year ago.
"His most recent sprint wins have been good, and he has been prepared for Thursday's race with a couple of hand-slips at Richmond.
"Unfortunately though, Supermaxi is not a good box dog.''
Best value on Thursday night should be Rosa Marie, who has box one in the Ladbrokes Blackbook Stakes, a one to five wins 520m fifth grade.
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Rosa Marie was backed from $4.80 to $3.10 when she resumed from a spell of more than four months at Wentworth Park last Thursday night.
After beginning cleanly from box eight Rosa Marie crossed to the rails and was second on the back straight, but could make no impression on the pacemaker, Ritza Duane.
That dog though is a noted strong finisher so Rosa Marie's effort to get within less than two lengths of the winner was a strong pointer to her prospects from an improved draw on Thursday night.
