Catherine Field trainer Charlie Gatt has three finalists in Thursday’s Country Motor Company Classic at Dapto, including brilliant beginner Neva’s Tree.
That greyhound rocketed out of box two to win his heat in 17 seconds, while Charlie also qualified with runners-up Paselina and Unleash Hell.
Charlie is hoping for box two again with Neva’s Tree, who he says is the most talented of his trio.
"Neva’s Tree tends to get too excited if he is in the first line of boxes, he seems to begin better from two, four, six or eight, when he has less time to think about things," he said.
The Charlie Gatt-trained finalists are all by his former track record holder and Wentworth Park speed star Disintegrate, who was virtually ignored by breeders when he went to stud so was sold as a sire late last year to Chinese breeders.
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With his champion sprinter Iona Seven’s future up in the air, Sydney owner-trainer Frank Sidrak was back in the winner’s circle at Dapto last Thursday, landing a double with littermates Pink Magic and Little Miss Cece.
Pink Magic won in a slick 30.25 while Little Miss Cece scored in 30.33 for Frank’s sister Nadia.
"They are out of Little Miss Pink, who won a few small races and was on a farm when her owners approached us with a pup deal," Frank explained.
"They gave Little Miss Pink to my sister Nadia to breed from in return for getting two pups from her first litter.
"Pink Magic is quicker than Little Miss Cece but she is improving and was three months behind Pink Magic in terms of training and conditioning.
"As far as Iona Seven goes, Robbie Britton, her trainer, told me she has suffered a lot of tendon and muscle damage and a visit to the veterinary surgeon this week will tell us more.
"But Robbie insists that if Iona Seven can’t come back to racing 100 per cent as good as she was previously she won’t be competing again."
