Chief Lightning has not been over 520m for more than two months, but trainer Jason Magri is confident the dog is fit enough to lead all the way at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Magri's dashing front-runner has box three in the Ladbrokes Same Race Multi Stakes, a 520m fourth and fifth grade, which represents a sharp drop in class for Chief Lightning.
While the greyhound's best time at Wentworth Park is 29.76 - posted from box three on January - Magri said: "He has had enough work to run out a solid 520m.
"I gave him a post to post slip at Wentworth Park on June 30 and he clocked a smart 24.10, which is as quick as he ever goes there.
"Chief Lightning loves Wenty and this appears to be a race in which he is capable of being the pacemaker.
"And once he leads he is very hard to run down at Wentworth Park.''
Chief Lightning's Wentworth Park tally of five wins from eight starts backs up that comment from his trainer.
Another greyhound poised to lead all the way at Wentworth Park on Saturday night is the Leanne Goodwin-trained Cold Cold Night, who has box two in the Ladbrokes Blackbook Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
Cold Cold Night finished fifth in each of two Wentworth Park outings in June but led until half-way down the straight when a close third there on July 3.
Goodwin's husband Nathan said: "Cold Cold Night has improved with every start at Wentworth Park.
"This looks a suitable race for him and he has had boxes five, six and seven in his previous races in town, but is better positioned near the fence on Saturday.
"We reckon 490m is about as far as Cold Cold Night is really comfortable with but he has a great chance of pinching this race.''
Cold Cold Night
The formguide reads that Total Faith finished seventh at his most recent Wentworth Park appearance but there is not much doubt the Alan Clare-trained dog was a certainty beaten on June 21.
Total Faith, who has box one in Saturday night's Ladbrokes Odds Surge 520m Masters Stakes, led throughout from box five to clock a personal best 29.82 at Wentworth Park on June 7.
But a fortnight later, Total Faith collided when about to swoop on the lead in a similar Wentworth Park event and wound up more than eight lengths behind the winner.
Scorching Boy and Total Faith were disputing the lead on the back straight when they bumped heavily, with Total Faith losing all chance.
Trainer Alan Clare said: "I think Total Faith was going to win that race for sure.
"I gave him a box-to-box trial at Wagga last Sunday and because the track was very wet he did not run fantastic time.
"But his figures were still the fastest trial of the day.
"I can't complain about box one but I really prefer Total Faith drawn in box three or five because when he reaches the first corner he tends to step to the right.
"Total Faith had box one in a semi-final of the Million Dollar Chase at Wentworth Park last year but could not hold off Peter Lagogiane's dog Nad El Sheba going into the first bend and he finished third.''
Ahead of Total Faith that night were Inconspicuous and National Sprint Championship winner Miss Envy so Saturday's second and third grade Masters event should be a far easier assignment.
Trainer Joe McFadyen is enjoying his most successful year and is set to take out Saturday's opening Wentworth Park event, the NSW GBOTA Welcome fifth grade over 520m with Canya Not.
After winning three in a row at The Gardens and Gosford, Canya Not dwelt at the start when a luckless fifth in a heat of the group one Ladbrokes Peter Mosman Opal at her first Wentworth Park appearance on June 28.
But she bounced back with a slick 29.43 all-the-way win at The Gardens on July 4 and can lead throughout from box three on Saturday.
