RITZA Tiana has been placed just twice in her past five Wentworth Park appearances but a slick trial at Bulli indicates she is ready to return to the winner's circle on Thursday night.
Ritza Tiana, who was runner-up to kennelmate Ritza Sophie in the Peter Mosman Opal final at Wentworth Park on July 4, has box four in Thursday's Reginald Jackson Memorial, a 520m fifth grade.
She has been unplaced in three of her four most recent Wentworth Park outings, and her form lapse has stumped trainer Mark Gatt.
He said: "She seems to have lost confidence and her last start fifth on July 30 was disappointing”
"I couldn't find anything physically wrong with her, so I took her to Bulli and gave her a 400m trial”
"She clocked 22.30 which is a pretty quick run for her so there is no reason why she shouldn't go well on Thursday night.''
Ritza Tiana has contested top or combined fourth and fifth grade races at her past six starts and drops to fifth grade on Thursday night.
When she last tackled fifth grade company Ritza Tiana won in a fast 29.38 at Wentworth Park on June 20, defeating Dark Noise, who was an easy winner at headquarters on Saturday.
While she has box four on Thursday, Ritza Tiana is not badly positioned as box five is vacant and Cold Cold Night, drawn in six, tends to run in the middle of the track.
Tempest Tiger scored her first Wentworth Park win from box one on August 13, but trainer Scott Tyson believes she can cope with box six in Thursday's GBOTA Staff Appreciation 520m fifth grade.
Just 20 months old, Tempest Tiger was runner-up from boxes six and four at her first two Wentworth Park appearances before leading throughout from box one for a runaway win in a handy 29.97 last Thursday night.
Tempest Tiger is real home-grown product for Central Coast owner-trainer Tyson as he raced her dam Zambora Tiger, a winner of a dozen races, along with her grand-dam Prancing Tiger, who registered six wins.
"I'm pretty excited about Tempest Tiger and her siblings because I won with her brother Urban Tiger over 400m at Maitland on Monday while their litter brother Tommy's Roar, who might turn out the best of them, finished second in a 400m maiden at the same meeting.”
"And they all seem likely to be suited by 500m races.
"I expect Tempest Tiger to run pretty straight from the boxes to the first turn on Thursday.''
Hardest for Tempest Tiger to beat could be Trunkey Mick, who was beaten seven lengths into third place behind her last week but was unlucky not to finish much closer.
Trunkey Mick was skittled going through the catching pen and produced a tenacious performance to rattle home into third place.
He had box five last week and has the same draw again, but his best Wentworth Park time of 29.78 is slightly quicker than Tempest Tiger's personal best of 29.88.
Winsome Jumbo trialed over 520m at Wentworth Park in a fast 29.60 before finishing second at his race debut there last Saturday and should break through in Thursday's Wenty Leagues 1-2 wins 520m fifth grade.
Winsome Jumbo had box two last Thursday but ran off the track and collided at the first turn, allowing pacemaker Peanut Keeping to steal a winning break.
Although he was beaten nearly four lengths, Winsome Jumbo ran home solidly and providing he begins cleanly on Thursday his middle of the track box five draw should suit him.
Most interesting clash on Thursday should be the meeting of Zipper On Time, in box one, and Magic Bandit, in two, in the top-grade Laurence Marcusson Memorial over 520m.
Zipper On Time has won eight of her nine Wentworth Park starts while Magic Bandit's dozen victories include success in this year's group one National Futurity.
Both greyhounds are well positioned on Thursday, as Zipper On Time has won her past two appearances from box one in sizzling times at Maitland and Bulli while it took the mighty Jungle Johnny to defeat Magic Bandit when she had box two at Wentworth Park on August 1.
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