Soldier Shane Carter, who has completed tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, is set to have a starter in Next month’s Macro Meats Golden Easter Egg heats following Make A Fifty’s upset win in an Egg prelude at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Shane owns the Simon Ma-trained Make A Fifty, who established herself as Sydney’s most improved sprinter by breaking the 30 second barrier in her all the way win, which included a sizzling initial split of 5.37.
A couple of months back, Make A Fifty could not win beyond 400m, but Shane paid tribute to his trainer after the race.
"Simon loves this greyhound and she loves him," he said.
"Simon trained Make A Fifty’s grandmother April Showers for me and she won at Wentworth Park at $81 when having her 100th race start.
"When Simon first got Make A Fifty he took her swimming in a mate’s dam and the bitch almost drowned.
"For a while it was touch and go whether she would survive and Simon rang me in tears, he was so concerned about her.
"But all ended well and Make A Fifty responds to the love he shows her, after a race she stands in the catching pen looking and waiting for him."
Star of the weekend’s racing was Victorian visitor Tonk, who led throughout in a sensational 29.57 on Saturday night, despite never having seen Wentworth Park previously.
Before the race I bumped into a keen Melbourne form expert in the betting ring and inquired if Tonk was entitled to be as short as $2.40, as he was with the bookies.
"His right price is $1.30, this is an Easter Egg dog racing against fifth graders," was my mate’s reply.
Also headed for the Golden Easter Easter Egg is Crash Model, who stunned even owner Clay Mullens when the Keith Waddington-trained bitch produced a personal best 29.87 in her all-the-way Prelude win.
Clay Mullens, who also bred Crash Model, was especially gob-smacked by his bitch’s run-home time of 11.80.
Rue De Kahn may have won this year’s Group 1 National Futurity but trainer DEAN Swain declared Friday’s come-from-behind win over three top graders "the most courageous win of her career".
Within seconds of the race DEAN received a text from wife Danielle, watching at home, and it read: "That was Rue De Kahn’s best win, most impressive."
Trainer Andrew Bayliss enters hospital on Monday for back surgery but he will do things a little easier following the all-the-way win by Velvet Flame at Wentworth Park on Friday night.
Velvet Flame led throughout in 29.94 and Andrew predicted the bitch could be further improved.
"I had slipped her at Wenty and she clocked 24.36 or 24.39, I can’t recall exactly, but it was pretty smart, and tonight’s race was her first 520 metre run for a couple of weeks so she has gone well," he commented.
Next month’s Magic Maiden is hotting up with Victorian trainer DAVE Knocker producing a puppy called Filante for an impressive 29.78 performance trial win at Wentworth Park on Friday night.
After the run DAVE said: "I left for Sydney at 6am, got to Wenty at 5.30pm, and now I’m driving home again.
"Filante has always shown ability and trialled 29.50 in an early trial at Sandown and while not brilliant early he has some pace and has big middle and final sections."
Also on Friday Tasmanian Golden Easter Egg candidate Hellyeah Bolt scampered over the Wentworth Park 520m trip in 29.89, posting splits of 5.39, 13.85 and 17.97 for southern highlands trainer Brian McKivat, who handled the dog on behalf of his Tasmanian conditioner Anthony Bullock.
See you Next week!
