Llandilo trainer Peter Lagogiane is hoping 2014 starts off better than 2013 ended when he heads to Gosford tonight for heats of the Mega Maiden Series (515m).
Lagogiane lost three of his most promising greyhounds last year - Lucks Changed, Honey Chicken and Magic Panda.
Tests revealed one of the dogs died from Salmonella while results from the other two are yet to be finalised.
"It brought us to our knees to be honest," Lagogiane said.
"I were very close to pulling the pin and having a year off, but then when I had a think about it I thought what else would I do?
"We have some nice young dogs coming through now so hopefully things are looking up."
Two of those greyhounds will line up in heats of the Mega Maiden tonight. Four semi-finals will be run the following Tuesday with the $10,000 to-the-winner final on January 28.
Hersi will start from box three in the third of five heats while Sugar Ray Lee makes his racetrack debut in the final qualifier from box five.
"Hersi is a funny sort of dog in that he is injury-prone," Lagogiane said.
"He's had four starts for four placings all over the 400m but he has had a couple of posts-to-posts and a 515m trial at Gosford and can run around 30.20."
Sugar Ray Lee recorded a very smart 22.84 performance trial over the 400m at Gosford before trialling in 30.23 over the Mega Maiden trip last Tuesday.
"He has had a very limited preparation - again due to injury," Lagogiane said.
"He had a cracked metacarpal and I gave him plenty of time off, then he showed me how much ability he has by running 22.84 at Gosford which was just amazing.
"I gave him a post-to-post at Wentworth Park and I was very disappointed with him, but then in a 515m performance trial at Gosford he went 30.23, and broke 13 seconds for his run home.
"He is still probably just a run short of his best but gee he's got a motor. He seems to have a bit of track sense as well.
"Both dogs will get better with racing so hopefully they can make it through to the semi-finals next week."
Lagogiane said he will also target the Ranvet Maiden series at Bulli on the same night as the Group 3 Sportingbet Cyril Rowe Gold Plate heats on January 22.
"The Bulli maiden final is $7,000 to the winner and I have a couple of dogs in performance trials there on Wednesday night," he said.
For tonight's Gosford fields click here
