Gets Late Early and Both Bowers Ace, the litter sister and brother who have earned $661,000 for their owners Denis Donoghue and Peter McDermott, begin the next phase of their illustrious careers when they step out in Masters class for the first time at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Gets Late Early, who has won 37 of 121 races for trainer Minnie Finn, has box eight in the 520m top grade Wenty Leagues Masters while her brother and kennelmate Both Bowers Ace, a winner of 20 from 126 appearances, has box six.
The offspring of Finn's former champion stayer Poco Dorado became eligible for this class when they turned four on February 8 and their trainer wasted no time in getting them into veterans' races.
"It's going to be a lot easier for them than chasing younger dogs running 29.30 at Wentworth Park'' Finn said.
Gets Late Early
"I consider Gets Late Early the better chance on Saturday because she is perfectly drawn in box eight.
"And while Both Bowers Ace has had a win and three seconds from his past five Wentworth Park starts and Gets Late Early has been racing up the straight, she is trialling as fast as she was a year ago.
"But whether Gets Late Early repeats that sort of form in races remains to be seen.''
Ballyneale Bolt, who has clocked near record times winning over 515m at The Gardens at his only two tests beyond 400m, makes his keenly anticipated Wentworth Park debut in Saturday night's We Stand With Tasmania 520m fifth grade.
Trainer Jason Mackay has a massive opinion of Ballyneale Bolt who was second away but soon led before winning by over 15 lengths at The Gardens on January 17.
Six nights later he "gapped" his rivals by over seven lengths in a similar race.
Ballyneale Bolt railed well in each of those wins and his only test on Saturday night looks to be his box six draw.
Toughest rival looms as the talented Vaya Con Dios, who has been placed in only three of nine Wentworth Park outings.
Trainer David Micallef thought enough of Vaya Con Dios to enter him for the group two Bulli Gold Cup series and the dog was beaten eight lengths into sixth place in a heat won by Cumbria Jack on February 6.
Vaya Con Dios has recorded fast times of 22.24 and 26.18 over 400m and 472m at Bulli and 29.50 over 520m at Nowra but his trainer said: "His box manners usually let him down.
"I've tried everything to get him to jump better but he seldom gets away cleanly.
"Because of that trait he needs luck at the first corner.
"Vaya Con Dios has gone quick in post-to-post slips at Wentworth Park and since his run in the Bulli Gold Cup heats he has been trialling up the straight at Dapto and swimming in Lake Illawarra.
"That is his normal preparation and he is fit and well for Saturday night.''
Motor City Sonny clocked a personal best 29.78 despite being beaten eight lengths into second place by He's A Pearl at Wentworth Park last Saturday night and trainer Trent Anderson believes the dog can go faster in this week's Happy Birthday Jeff Collerson 520m fifth grade.
"Motor City Sonny missed the kick a bit last Saturday but he can begin much better,'' Anderson said.
''This dog is only just starting to put it all together and because he tends to run in the middle of the track he is not badly positioned in box five this week.''
Anderson, who has 17 greyhounds in work at Yeholme, midway between Bathurst and Lithgow, is one of many trainers "sweating" on the re-opening of the Lithgow track.
Taormina, suitably placed out wide in box seven, appeals as Saturday night's best bet in the 520m top grade Where Else But Wenty Stakes.
The Jodie Lord-trained "lid pinger" boasts a 50 per cent winning strike rate at Wentworth Park where she has notched 18 wins and 11 placings from 36 starts.
None of her rivals on Saturday has been able to match her quickest Wentworth Park 520m time of 29.29, while she has won four of her five outings while wearing the black rug, a daunting prospect for her opponents on Saturday.
