Tom Rees, who enjoyed tremendous success as an owner with the Robert Britton-trained stayer Blazing Cartier in 2020 and 2021, scored his first group one win as a trainer when his exciting prospect History's Coming made a one-act affair of Saturday night's Ladbrokes National Derby final at Wentworth Park.
Backed from $8 to $5.50, History's Coming jumped smartly from box four and set up a big lead at the first turn, bolting away to win by six lengths in 29.54.
That time is the second fastest posted in a Derby final at Wentworth Park, with Victa Damian establishing the race record of 29.47 in 2023.
History's Coming will now tackle next month's group two Ladbrokes Bulli Gold Cup, where he will return to what so far has been his favourite track.
History's Coming now has his sights set on the Bulli Cup.
Rees almost took out a group one double on Saturday as his bitch Hurricane Reign, a litter sister to History's Coming, was runner-up to the Minnie Finn-trained Gets Late Early in the Ladbrokes National Futurity final.
Hurricane Reign was sensationally supported from $8.50 to run the $2.50 favourite on the strength of what seemed an ideal box one draw, positioned inside Finn's pair Ain't Waiting and Gets Late Early, both wide runners.
But while Hurricane Reign missed the jump, Gets Late Early nailed the start and despite veering off the track at the first turn, put the first section behind her in a flying 5.35 and held off a late challenge from Hurricane Reign to score by a half length in 29.85.
Gets Late Early is raced by Peter McDermott and Denis Donoghue, who owned her dam Poco Dorado, a champion stayer in 2018 and 2019 who earned $361,000 in prizemoney.
After last night's win by Gets Late Early, part-owner Denis Donoghue admitted he was gob-smacked at the improvement shown by that bitch and her litter sister and kennelmate Ain't Waiting, who finished third.
"I can't believe how much Gets Late Early and Ain't Waiting have improved in the past couple of weeks,'' Donoghue said.
"They are from Poco Dorado's second litter and while the first litter weren't worth a pie, this litter looked like being not much better than handy until recently.
"We thought Binalong Time was going to be the best of this second litter but Gets Late Early has grown a leg, as has her sister Ain't Waiting.''
Colin Bermingham, who owned the inaugural Million Dollar Chase winner Mystic Riot, completed his successful transition to trainer with his dog Dutch Riot leading all the way to win Saturday's group one Ladbrokes Paws Of Thunder by nearly three lengths.
Dutch Riot made full use of his ideal box one draw and posted time of 29.54, which was a mere .04sec outside the race record set by She's A Pearl in 2023.
Colin Bermingham and Sandra Camden-Bermingham after Dutch Riot won the 2024 Ladbrokes Paws of Thunder
Saturday's group two Summer Distance Plate went to the Queensland-trained but Sydney-owned Valpolicella, who ran down Minnie Finn's Zipping Orlando to win by five lengths in 41.82.
After the race Valpolicella's owner, Sydney accountant Sandro Bechini, said: "She will now head back to Queensland for a big long-distance race at Albion Park next week.''
Peter Lagogiane, who trained the 2018 Million Dollar Chase winner Mystic Riot for Colin Bermingham, landed the listed The Collerson on Saturday night with Nad Al Sheba, who was Chased all the way by runner-up Embrace.
After Nad Al Sheba's win, Lagogiane said: "That race has always been on my bucket list.''
Craig Chappelow, trainer of Embrace, conceded his greyhound, who turned three in September, was not quite the bitch she was six months ago.
"But I'm proud of how she went tonight and considering that second placing has enabled her to crack the $200,000 mark in earnings, I'm not complaining,'' Chappelow said.
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