Bam Bam Banner has scored three wins and a desperately unlucky fourth from his past four races on circular tracks and is drawn to enhance that impressive tally at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night.
The Barry Gibbons-trained dog will make his metropolitan debut in the wentworthpark.com.au Stakes, a 520m fifth grade, where he will be after his third win in five appearances from box eight.
At his most recent outing, over 520m at Richmond last Friday night, Bam Bam Banner showed good early speed to lead throughout from box seven.
Prior to that he had won over 400m at Bulli in a slick 22.54 and in a fast 26.30 over 472m on the same track before being sent out a $1.35 favourite from box two in a Richmond 520m event on July 24.
Favourite backers that night were left dismayed when the dog in box one ran wide approaching and rounding the first turn, pushing Bam Bam Banner off the track and ruining his prospects.
It could be a "banner" night for box eight on Wednesday as Unlike You, in the 520m NSW GBOTA Welcome Maiden, and Miss Expeditious in race six, a 520m fourth and fifth grade, have good prospects of wearing the pink rug to victory.
Unlike You was a well supported $2.40 chance when he made his first Wentworth Park appearance last Wednesday night and impressed with a strong finishing second, beaten one-and-a-half lengths by the more experienced Reflections.
The winner covered the 520m in 29.81, time bettered on the night by only Coast Model, a winner of 15 Wentworth Park races and runner-up in the Million Dollar Chase on May 7.
Unlike You exited box one and was third in the early stages before running off the track on the first corner, then coming from a distant third on the back straight to beat all but Reflections.
Trainer Jason Magri said: "Unlike You looks as if he wants to go around dogs so in that respect he seems well boxed in eight.
"My concern is whether he has enough early speed to capitalise on his good draw.
"Unlike You has trialled 29.86 at Wentworth Park so he certainly has the ability, but he still has to learn how to race.''
Miss Expeditious is ideally positioned in box eight in her race but trainer Alan Proctor is worried about her recent box manners.
"Box eight is where she wants to be, that's for sure,'' Proctor said.
"But in her last two starts Miss Expeditious has come out poorly so that has me worried.
"She is a nervy type of bitch but if she begins cleanly on Wednesday she certainly gets her chance from her good draw.''
Lady Divine began smartly to lead throughout in a Wentworth Park Maiden heat and final on July 13 and 23 and should only need to nail the jump to win Wednesday night's Donny's Dog Transport Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
The Kerry Drynan-trained Lady Divine clocked 30.24 and 30.14 in her maiden race wins but bungled the start when a distant third, from box three, at Wentworth Park last Wednesday night.
If she reverts to her customary good box speed Lady Divine should be too good for her fifth grade rivals on Wednesday.
Wednesday's best bet should be Mortified, who has box seven in the Where Else But Wenty Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
Mortified led throughout to win on debut at Wentworth Park from box two on July 21, clocking 30.20, before missing the start badly from box eight but still winning by eight lengths in a slick 29.95 last Wednesday.
Mortified used plenty of the track in each of her Wentworth Park wins so should make full us of her wide draw on Wednesday night.
