Taw Major ran a cheeky race when fifth in the Group 2 Bulli Gold Cup final on February 13 and plummets to fifth grade at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Taw Major has box eight in the 520m Wenty Leagues Stakes and with seven Wentworth Park wins and a personal best 520m time of 29.60 he has the credentials to notched his 11th win in 32 starts.
After recording a flying 26.02 in chasing home group one winner Eriza Sparkles in a Bulli Gold Cup heat on February 6, Taw Major finished fifth, just over six lengths behind the winner Gold Force, in track record time of 25.68 a week later.
All boxes seem to come alike to Taw Major and the dog recorded a slick 29.80 in scoring a runaway win from box eight at Wentworth Park last July, beating the big race winner Coast Rig by a big space.
"Taw Major is eligible for one more Saturday night fifth grade and this is it,'' trainer Andrew Rowe said.
"He is on song for this week and certainly looks well placed in this grade.''
Danger to Taw Major looms as the luckless Motor City Sonny, who has finished second at his past two Wentworth Park appearances, beaten comfortably but in scorching times.
After the dog was eight lengths behind He's A Pearl in 29.22 at Wentworth Park on February 7 he was runner-up to Secret Bandit in a flying 29.24 there last Saturday night.
When Motor City Sonny wound up six lengths behind Secret Bandit, trainer Trent Anderson lamented: "Gee, he keeps running into flying machines.''
Taw Major's litter brother and kennelmate Taw Galaxy was desperately unlucky when fourth in a top grade Wentworth Park race last Saturday night and can make amends in the similar class Sponsor a Race @ Wenty Stakes on Saturday night.
Taw Galaxy, who has won 10 of his 22 Wentworth Park appearances, has box five but has won five of his 13 races when drawn in the middle alleys, boxes four, five and six.
"Taw Galaxy's last win was in 22.06 over 400m at Bulli on January 21 but he is going as well as ever,'' trainer Andrew Rowe said.
"Last week he had box two and another dog ran out and collided with him soon after the start and then bumped him again on the first turn.
"That's racing of course but after what happened to him early I thought his effort to beat all but the placegetters was enormous.''
Paw Iron qualified for Saturday night's We Stand With Tasmania Maiden Final by finishing second, beaten just over three lengths, in Extreme Machine's Wentworth Park heat on February 12.
But his run was better than it looks on paper and trainer Ike McCorkindale gives his up-and-coming youngster a good chance of winning Saturday's final, despite drawing box five.
In his heat Paw Iron had box six and after being last to leave the boxes, swept around the field and finished powerfully to be runner-up.
Trainer Ike McCorkindale said: "Paw Iron had not previously been out of the boxes at Wenty but had clocked smart time in a post-to-post slip at the track.
''When I trial him he usually rails well so I was surprised when he got wide in his heat.
"But maybe he was smart enough to realise there was not enough room for him on the fence so pulled to the outside.
"Paw Iron is usually a good beginner so I'm hoping his missing the start last week was out of character for him.
"He has a big motor and if he comes out on terms with his rivals on Saturday I think he will quickly put himself into the race.''
Best bet on Saturday should be the exciting Jason Mackay-trained speedster Ballyneale Bolt, who followed two blistering wins over 515m at The Gardens with an all-the-way romp in a slick 29.50 at his Wentworth Park debut last Saturday.
Ballyneale Bolt has box six in this week's 520m fifth grade Wentworth Park Sports Bar Stakes, and while he would be better suited from an inside trap he had no problem handling box six last week.
After that win trainer Jason Mackay explained: "He got a bit tired in the straight but that was understandable because he was making only his third visit to Wentworth Park and was going over the full 520m at the track for the first time.''
