The diminutive red brindle bitch has secured the prized inside alley in the Lesley Ann Leonard Memorial (400m) feature but must deal with the electric speed of Paul Braddon's Shelly Swift (box two).

Following her sharp 17.66 debut offering, Rare Talent returned to Bathurst on October 8 and trounced grade five company in 17.63. That time was a mere .04, or half length, outside the best time of the day.

She then was narrowly beaten at Goulburn over 350m before stepping up to Dubbo's 400m with a gritty 23.02 heat effort.

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Trainer Darren Wort has placed Rare Talent to perfection and Saturday's $8000-to-the-winner event is one of the richest on the NSW regional calendar for restricted win sprinters.

Rare Talent will need to be on her mettle to deal with Shelly Swift - one of three aspirants for Paul Braddon in the time-honoured event.

Shelly Swift registered the fastest heat time (22.85) and her first section was a sparkling 8.86. Previously, she had raced exclusively at Dubbo over 318m but was utterly dominant in her five-and-three-quarter lengths heat win and is nicely positioned in box two.

Braddon's third chance is Swift Justice, an older half-sister to Shelly Swift. She came in for solid support in her October 16 heat and was never threatened in scoring by two-and-a-quarter lengths in 23.19.

The prestigious final is named in honour of Lesley Ann Leonard, who was just 17 when killed in a motorcycle accident in November 1987. The memorial series was first run in 1988 and one is of the most coveted on the Dubbo club's calendar.

Saturday night's meeting also features the Les Leonard Memorial (516m) and the first of 12 races jumps at 6.04pm.

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