Iona Seven obliterated Pure Octane’s nine-year-old race record when she romped away to win the Sportingbet Paws Of Thunder (520m) at Wentworth Park in 29.56.
The Robbie Britton-trained daughter of Swift Fancy was always going to break the race record when she catapulted from box six to clock splits of 5.32 and 13.70 in Saturday night’s Sportingbet Paws Of Thunder at Wentworth Park. Pure Octane's previous race record was 29.77.
Sydney-based Frank Sidrak, who bred Iona Seven (pictured), was confident of victory, even though she had seemed to draw poorly in box six.
“I reminded Robbie (Britton) that Iona Seven’s first win was from box six," Frank said.
“And I was even more confident when my sister Michelle, who owns Iona Seven, called out her kennel name Misty as the field was parading to the start.
“Misty turned around, looked at Michelle, and wagged her tail, and I knew then she was going to win, it was an omen."
Punch One Out was a gallant second, cutting Tasmania’s Buckle Up Wes out of the $25,000 runner-up cheque by a length.
Jason Mackay, Punch One Out’s trainer, conceded the winner was “just too good".
“Entering the back straight I thought Punch One Out was going to win but she took an eternity to get around Buckle Up Wes, and when she didn’t zip around him to go after Iona Seven I knew we were in trouble," Jason said.
In the other feature race of the night, Dyna Willow notched up her second win at Wentworth when she took out the Group 2 Sportingbet Summer Distance Plate (720m) in a thrilling finish.
The Tony Brett-trained Benarkin led the field up until the final bend, before Destini Fireball charged past looking all but the winner, before Dyna Willow charged home and to get up in the tightest of photo finishes in a time of 42.48.
Meanwhile, Gradence took his earnings past the $100,000 mark when he ran down Jimmy Coyne’s brave front runner Evil Punk in The Collerson.
Gradence was originally trained by his owner Joe Scerri but he transferred the dog to Mark and Daniel Gatt and the Thirlmere trainers have played a big role in the dog winning 21 and being placed 35 times in 77 starts.
Joe, who handed Gradence over to the Gatts due to work commitments, ironically has recently joined the Gatt kennels on a full-time basis to assist them with the training of their big team.
While it was a night for the professional trainers like Britton, Collins and Gatt, Saturday was also a night for the battlers.
Mirror Man Mitch gave Brad Barber his first Wentworth Park winner when he took out the opening event, the NSW GBOTA Members Night Stakes.
Mirror Man Mitch had won just two of his previous 18 starts but Brad said a heavy fall early in the dog’s career had dented his confidence.
“He fell at his second start and after that became very field shy," Brad recalled.
“I’ve been able to restore his confidence by running him constantly up the straight with other dogs to try and assure him he wasn’t going to get knocked over again.
“I have had only about eight starters at Wentworth Park in the five years I’ve been training but it is a great feeling to win one in town."
One of Saturday’s most impressive winners was Avondale Charm, who led throughout to clock a slick 29.93 at her Wentworth Park debut in a fifth grade.
A daughter of the fabulous producing bitch Sirocco Pearl, Avondale Charm is trained by Ron Bell and as is the custom with greyhounds from his kennel, she had not previously seen Wentworth Park.
“I never trial them at Wentworth Park before they race there and she was no exception,’’ Ron said later.
See you next week!
