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Twentyeightdragons spent more than 800 days away from the races before this preparation but trainer Ben Smith believes the comeback galloper is now capable of a breakthrough moment at Kembla Grange on Saturday.

The Foxwedge gelding hadn't raced since January 17, 2021 at Cowra before making a return to the racetrack last month under Ben Smith's care.

The reason for that absence is unknown to Smith, who only returned to the training ranks last year himself, but the Group 1 winning conditioner has been impressed by Twentyeightdragons in recent weeks.

Twentyeightdragons has placed at his first two runs for Smith and gets the chance to get a win on the board in the Kanahooka Midway Maiden Plate (1400m).

"He showed good improvement and I think the addition of blinkers as well as the 1400m will really suit him," Smith said.

"They are drying conditions, it will still be wet but he seemed to get through the going pretty easy.

"I think it's a good race for him to be really competitive in on Saturday."

Twentyeightdragons is a $5 chance to breakthrough on Saturday with Mitchell Bell in the saddle.

Bell has been tasked with riding all four of Smith's contenders on the afternoon including one-time Provincial-Midway Championships Final contender Herb.

Herb ran eighth in the $500,000 Provincial-Midway decider earlier this preparation but has dropped back in grade and contests the New England Builders Provincial Benchmark 68 Handicap (1400m).

"We've applied the winkers with him and with all of that freshness out of his legs now, we will sit that touch closer," Smith said.

"The way he has got back those past couple of runs, we've probably set him too much of a task."

"He handles the rain affected tracks well enough but I still think he will appreciate that touch firmer surface. The last couple of runs have been pretty heavy tracks."

She's Jessie ($11) is sweating on a run in the Norm Thomason Memorial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m).

The Territories mare, which is coming off a maiden win at Gosford, is the fourth emergency with Smith also nominating her for Wyong next week as a backup plan.

"We are hoping she gets a run in what looks to be a solid enough race," Smith said.

"If she gets a run she will go forward from the alley there."

Meanwhile, promising filly West Of Dalby has been set a task to maintain her unbeaten record in the Thymely Food Co 2YO Handicap (1200m) at Gosford's stand-alone meeting.

The Santos filly won her maiden over 900m at Newcastle last start and will be challenged in Saturday grade against some of Sydney's heavyweights.

"I really like her," Smith said.

"I expected her to run well on debut, her first trial wasn't really encouraging but we backed off her work a little bit and she came right on.

"When we took her to Hawkesbury for her second trial, she trialled pretty well and we thought that was a nice race for her at Newcastle."