Evidence is coming back in distance in tonight's Ladbrokes Visa Stakes at Wentworth Park but trainer Mark Bell does not believe that will hinder his greyhound's chances.
The greyhound looks one of the best chances at a meeting which features the latest appearance of boom pup Fantastic Tail.
VERSATILE Evidence is likely to start favourite in race five after drawing box seven, having worn the black rug to three wins from five appearances.
"My dog had a couple of 600m races at Canberra and a 590m at Gunnedah before he finished third over 565m at Maitland on May 28,'' Bell said. "He pulled up a Little bit sore after Maitland so I eased up on him and he is nice and fresh for Friday night's race.
"He has had a couple of hand-slips at home and is fit and well.
"I like him boxed wide because he will run straight to the first turn, whereas when he draws inside he wants to run up the track.''
Little Bit Slick was not only fastest heat winner but also posted the quickest first and second sectional times for Friday night's Ladbrokes Sprint Series Final at Wentworth Park (race 7).
The Peter Sims-trained bitch came out running from box six to win her heat by seven lengths in 29.99, clocking 5.43 and 13.80 for the first two splits.
The other heat winners were Fantastic Tail in 30.01 and Star Of Ibrox in 30.05.
Star Of Ibrox led from the first turn to clock a 13.95 second split while Fantastic Tail was second to the home bend before finishing best to run down pacemaker New Regime, who recorded early splits of 5.47 and 13.98.
Little Bit Slick's trainer Peter Sims believes his bitch can improve her run home time providing her recent racing has not taken the edge off her.
"At her second start over 525m at Wagga, my home track, Little Bit Slick improved two tenths of a second on her run home figures,'' Sims said.
"My only slight concern is that n Friday she will be having her third race in a week.
"When she led all the way over 320m at Wagga on June 5 her time which was only .08 outside the track record.
"Then she backed up 72 hours later to win her Wentworth Park 520m heat.
"Unfortunately the final is on Friday instead of Saturday but I'm still reasonably confident she will lead all the way again.''
Fantastic Tail has won four out of four and looks a handy prospect.
Kennelmate Fantastic Sid jumps from box one in race eight and looks the best bet of the night.
Shady Ace pulled up well after being runner-up to Rue De Kahn in the Dapto Oaks final on June 4 and gets her chance to open her metropolitan account in heat two of the Evans & Son Jewellers Bitches Series.
Shady Ace has been placed in three of her four WP races and trainer Garry Edwards is not worried about her box five draw.
"When Shady Ace jumps she goes a bit towards the centre of the track so I don't mind seeing her drawn in a middle box,'' Edwards said. "Because she tends to run in the middle and doesn't like getting cluttered up early she is boxed okay.
"Even though she was a close second to Rue De Kahn in the Oaks and they ran 29.93, I was a bit disappointed because I honestly expected Shady Ace to get down to around 29.50. That's how much ability she possesses.
"She gets her chance on Friday because she is very fit.''
For Wentworth Park Friday fields, form and expert picks, click here.
Jeff Collerson's Wentworth Park Friday picks:
Best Bet: Fantastic Sid (Race 8, Box 1)
Best Value: Wuxi (Race 1, Box 6)
Quaddie: Race 5 - 7, 1, 2
Race 6 - 2, 7, 3
Race 7 - 5, 7, 4
Race 8 - 1, 5
$20 for 37.03%
