Victorian middle-distance performers Al's Entity and Aston Costello will be on trial for starts in the Group One Farrell's Assocation Cup heats when they tackle 720m for the first time at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Al's Entity, being prepared here by Darryl Thomas, has box seven in the top grade Simply Limelight At Stud Stakes while Aston Costello, with Charmaine Roberts for his NSW preparation, has drawn six.
Adding spice to the race is the first appearance of Queensland-trained Portman's Lass, a winner of nine from 26 starts, who will exit box two.
Al's Entity's caretaker trainer Darryl Thomas said: "I gave him a 650m trial at Wentworth Park last Saturday night.
"I don't know what times they are supposed to run over that distance at Wenty but trial watchers who were there said Al's Entity went super.
"He is a funny dog though because two runs back over 650m at Shepparton he led and got run down but at his next start, over 660m at Ballarat, he overcame two bad checks to finish strongly and win running away.''
Aston Costello won a semi-final of the 605m Ladbrokes Country Classic at Dubbo on March 9 before finishing fourth in Palawa King's final last Saturday night.
While Al's Entity and Aston Costello are unknown quantities over 720m, Portman's Lass has won over 710m at Brisbane's Albion Park in 42.32 and her trainer Warren Nicholls knows how to prepare a stayer, having trained the former outstanding long-distance performer Days Of Thunder.
That greyhound, who was noted for incredibly powerful finishing bursts, won 19 races and earned over $322,000 prizemoney.
Nicholls said: "Portman's Lass has not seen Wentworth Park and I will be using Saturday's race as a gauge as to whether she is worth bringing back for the Association Cup heats on April 6.
"She doesn't possess anything like Days Of Thunder's finish but Portman's L ass is improving all the time and I'm confident she will get stronger.''
Nicholls is also bringing Hostile Assassin, a winner of 10 from 38 races, to Wentworth Park on Saturday for the Ladbrokes Odds Surge Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
"He hasn't seen Wentworth Park but I am toying with the idea of entering him in the Golden Easter Egg heats if he goes really well on Saturday,'' Nicholls said.
"Hostile Assassin is well drawn in box two and is a very fast dog, he can run 29.60 for the 520m Albion Park trip.
"But Hostile Assassin has had to be lightly raced because he is so injury-prone I reckon he would get hurt falling out of bed.''
It seems only an out-of-character slow getaway can prevent Good Odds Cobber from repeating last week's top grade 520m win in Saturday night's GEE Finals Night Stakes.
Last Saturday Good Odds Cobber drew box one and led throughout to win by six lengths from Nangar Larry and Hooked On Fame in 29.49, close to his personal best Wenty figures of 29.33.
Nangar Larry and Hookrd On Fame are among his rivals again this week but they have drawn six and three respectively and it's hard to see them spoiling Good Odds Cobber's flawless record wearing the red rug.
Coco Model will be retired when she comes in season, but following her fast 18.05 Richmond 320m win on Monday, trainer Tayt Corless is hoping she delays going to the breeding barn.
Coco Model has box one in Saturday night's Ladbroke It! Masters Stakes, a 520m top-grade race for veterans, and she will be chasing her 12th Wentworth Park win.
"I usually prefer Coco Model drawn wide, but I'm not complaining about getting in box one in what looks to be a pretty handy Masters field.''
Coco Model has won over 520m at Wentworth Park in 29.73, 29.87, 29.90, and 29.98 and on Monday's form is not far away from being capable of reproducing similar times on Saturday.
Best value on Saturday night could be the Sam Sultana-trained Au Contraire, who ran the race of her life when second to Nangar Gypsy at Wentworth Park last Friday.
Au Contraire drew box eight but ran in sharply and collided soon after the start, losing all chance before finishing on tenaciously to be beaten just over a length.
Au Contraire has box four in Saturday's Only One Time Bitches' Final over 520m but with a clean getaway could put herself in a winning position at the first turn.
