Last year, in his first competitive outing, Tuck shot off at the gun and had an early lead on the rest of the field before being distracted by the hunt master's bugle and diverting his course to follow the noise.
Owner Sharyn Gingell-Kent holds higher hopes for her highly socialised pet this year, who was not fazed by his competitors or the thousands of cheering spectators - just the bugle.
Tuck's owners have shrugged off a suggestion made at last year's show there should be an investigation into his bloodstock on account of his long legs.
Mrs Gingell-Kent said Jack Russells could be a cross of many things and she noted other, furrier, competitors had also had their lineage questioned.
"There is a breed of Parson's Jack Russell, which has long legs, so maybe he's got some of that."
Tuck came to live with Sharyn and Kevin Gingell-Kent three years ago as a 5-week-old pup.
Mrs Gingell-Kent thinks they've got his training programme right.
"He thinks the lakefront is his own. He does his hill training on Mt Iron and rabbit training at the start of the Millennium Track. He does sprint training wherever there are skateboarders around."
The Jack Russell race is scheduled to take place in the main ring at 12.30pm on Saturday, just before the Grand Parade.
The Wanaka show has attracted 381 registered exhibits compared with 351 last year.
All but a handful of the registered Christchurch exhibitors were coming, despite the effects of the earthquake two weeks ago, co-ordinator Jane Stalker said yesterday.
People who could not exhibit at the cancelled Ellerslie Flower Show in Christchurch had made bookings for the Wanaka event instead. The MetService long-range weather forecast is good, although some rain could fall late tomorrow before conditions cleared on Saturday, she said.
Guests include comedienne Ginette McDonald, top New Zealand cyclist Ali Shanks, former All Black Richard Loe, European butcher Keith Fisher and Invercargill chef Graham Hawkes.
