Trainer Frank Sidrak will aim Iona Tokyo for next month’s Golden Easter Egg after the fastest beginner in the business ran her rivals off their legs again at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Iona Tokyo, a real lid-pinger, exploded from the boxes and posted electrifying splits of 5.34, 13.70 and 17.85 on her way to a personal best 29.71 win.
Eight days earlier she had catapulted to the lead at box rise, recording splits of 5.37, 13.75 and 17.86 en route to a 29.78 victory.
On Saturday Double Trigger looked set to run down Iona Tokyo when he began to rail underneath her towards the end of the back straight.
But Iona Tokyo cut back to the fence, checking the in-form Double Trigger, and sailing away to win by over four lengths.
Iona Tokyo is a litter sister to this year’s Paws Of Thunder winner Iona Seven but was returned to Frank Sidrak by Melbourne maestro Robbie Britton after she had won ten races in Victoria.
"When I sent Iona Tokyo to Robbie I told him she was only two tenths of a second slower than Iona Seven," Frank explained.
"But when Robbie trialled them, Iona Seven was more than five tenths faster.
"So when Iona Tokyo got up in grade she came back to me and she just seemed so happy to be home.
"While Iona Seven was content in Melbourne, I believe Iona Tokyo was unhappy being away from me and my family, as we had bred her and had her since she was a baby.
"She is just totally rejuvenated and Robbie rang after her win on Saturday night to congratulate me and say how impressed he was with her.
"Originally I thought the Golden Easter Egg might be a bit rich for Iona Tokyo but when she can run a first split of 5.34 she is probably capable of winning a race like that.
"After all, if you lead around the first turn anything can happen behind you."
Winsome Tommy hopefully ended six months of expense and frustration for champion trainer John Finn when he won at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
After the race John explained that a mystery virus, believed to be the same ailment which decimated the kennels of Peter Lagogiane, had swept through his establishment.
"Three of my greyhounds died and the others lost form completely," John said.
“The survivors eventually looked terrific but were trialling a full second slower than what they should have.
“Nobody could pinpoint the problem.
"It has been a nightmare but time seems to have got the dogs back to health and hopefully Winsome Tommy’s win marks a return to things being normal."
Trainer Phil Goodsell will keep boom dog Stilton Blue away from Wentworth Park to concentrate on the Nowra Puppy Classic heats on March 17 after the greyhound was a certainty beaten on Saturday night.
Stilton Blue was last away but went so fast he was a neck off the lead at the first turn where his chances were ruined by pacemaker Sherlock veering off the track and colliding with him.
When that scrimmage occurred Jawlaa, a relatively new addition to Mark Gatt’s kennels, secured a dream rails run to go the front and win.
"I think Stilton Blue will be a bit sore after what happened at the first turn," Phil Goodsell said on Saturday.
“Until the Nowra Classic heats I will just keep him fit by trialling him at Nowra, we can come back to Wenty later."
An eye-catching run from Saturday’s Wentworth Park card was by Mrs Duncan, who was runner-up to Winsome Tommy in race three.
She had trialled well at Wentworth Park for trainer Grant Dunphy but on Saturday was hampered soon after the start by the speedy Weekend Wes and was relegated from second at the first turn to a distant third on the back straight.
Her first win city is not far away.
Successful Brisbane trainer Peter Ruetschi, who had Captain Clarrie in race six at Wentworth Park on Saturday, was in awe of the improvement shown by former Queenslander Eleazar since entering Sid Swain’s Box Hill kennels.
"Back home Eleazar used to get back in the field but Sid Swain has done a fantastic job with her because tonight she went straight to the lead and won in 42.32," Peter, who has won 16 races with Captain Clarrie, commented.
See you next week!
