Only one of Vencedor's 29 wins has been beyond 500m but the four-year-old is going better than ever and is ready to lead all the way over 520m at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Vencedor has box six in the Ladbrokes Hub Masters Stakes after a last-start win over 515m at LADBROKES GARDENS on February 10.
At his most recent Wentworth Park appearance, over 280m on Australia Day, Vencedor was desperately unlucky when third to the crack short courser Running Reds.
Vencedor wasn't headed in clocking in slick 29.58 at LADBROKES GARDENS 15 days later and trainer Chrystal Hensing expects her dog to run a big race on Saturday.
"Earlier in his career Vencedor wasn't coping with the work required to condition him for races over 500m or more,'' Hensing said.
"I always knew he was capable of running the distance if I could get him fit enough but he wasn't handling the training needed.
"That's why nearly all of his races have been over distances up to 400m but with maturity he has become capable of standing up to the preparation.
"I trialled him over 520m at Wentworth Park following the final race on Saturday and he clocked 30.30.
"We were standing behind the boxes for ages waiting to trial and Vencedor got pretty worked up so I have no doubt he is capable of improving on that time on Saturday.''
Trainer Barry Gibbons plans to test Boston Banner over middle to long distances when the weather is cooler but for now, the son of his former good bitch Lilly Banner is thriving over shorter trips.
Boston Banner, who has won three of his past five starts, looks the dog to beat in Saturday night's second heat of the 520m Ladbrokes It! Stakes.
Boston Banner has box four but surprisingly has scored two wins and a placing in three starts wearing the blue rug.
"When he won over 600m at The Gardens on February 17 Boston Banner went super so I'm keen to step him up in distance.
"But I'll wait until the cooler weather to prepare him and in the meantime will keep him going in 500m races.
"I was happy with his fourth to Ferness in a heat of the Richmond Derby last week because he got pushed wide from box seven.
"When he won at Wentworth Park on February 9 Boston Banner ran down Tommy Rees' very good bitch Hurricane Reign and then held off a subsequent Wenty winner Ritza Trish to win.
"What I really like about this dog is his tenacity, he is a real goer who never gives up.
"If he steps away cleanly on Saturday Boston Banner should be up close to the lead at the first turn and be hard to hold out.''
First Lady failed to qualify for the Richmond Oaks after finishing sixth in her heat last Friday but she looks drawn to win her third Wentworth Park race in the far easier Ladbrokes Communities Stakes, a 520m fifth grade, on Saturday night.
First Lady has box eight and looks set to get a perfect passage to the first turn courtesy of Lady Replicas, who has drawn seven.
When she won at Gosford from the same draw on February 13 Lady Replicas began smartly but "carved across" sharply towards the rails.
With Lady Replicas likely to do the same on Saturday night, First Lady should get a glorious run down the outside of the field.
None of First Lady's rivals on Saturday has come close to her best Wentworth Park time, a flying 29.66, and while she has not previously raced from box eight, the Garry Frazer-trained bitch handles an outside draw and has won two of her three starts from box seven.
Another greyhound set to relish a sharp drop in class on Saturday is the Subby Ngurah-trained Battle Royal, who has box six in the Simply Limelight At Stud Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
Battle Royal won a fifth grade at Wentworth Park in 29.96 on January 27 before winning in top grade there in 29.91 six nights later.
In two subsequent top-grade Battle Royal outings Battle Royal has finished just out of the placings and with a vacant box on his left he is poised to land his fourth win in nine Battle Royal appearances on Saturday.
