Greyhound racing’s latest excitement machine Can Of will target the June 7 heats of the Group 1 Peter Mosman Classic following his blistering nine length win in 29.47 at Wentworth Park on Friday night.
Trained by Beau Hedley, who fights on the under-card to an Australian title contest at Newcastle Panthers on May 23, Can Of ran the hands off the clock with splits of 5.33, 13.66 and 17.75.
"When I gave Can Of a look at Wentworth Park in a trial before this race he ran an initial split of 5.47 and an overall time of 29.79 so it was pleasing to see him improve so much," Beau said after the race.
The Peter Mosman Classic, first run at Harold Park in 1952 as the Bi-Annual Classic, has been won by many of the sport’s greats including Rokoko, The Smoother, Promises Free, ACACIA PARK, Brother Fox, How’s The Fort and Queenslanders Elite State and Surf Lorian.
If Can Of can win the Group 1 race, he will be the first NSW-trained greyhound to do so since 2011. In fact the last three editions of the Peter Mosman Classic have been won by Allen Harper, Garrick Bale and Xylia Allen who were all owned by Paul Wheeler.
In other action from the weekend, Toby Weekes landed a quinella in the Betfair Blue Paws final at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
A few years back, the Weekes family ranked alongside Bathurst’s Turnbull clan as harness racing’s first family, but now Toby and his dad Gus Weekes are into greyhounds.
Punters were cheering when Toby's hot favourite Waymore’s Blues held off his strong finishing kennelmate Freddy’s Smile to win the Betfair Blue Paws Final by a length in a nippy 29.93.
Meanwhile, there were birthday celebrations all around when Electro Storm notched his 11th Wentworth Park win in Saturday’s AAA Radiator Specialists Stake.
Saturday not only marked the fourth birthday for the greyhound, but was also the 75th birthday of his owner Ray Matterson.
Elizabeth and Peter Bont have had few runners at Wentworth Park over the past two years but the Oakville breeder/trainers indicated they are on their way back after El Silverado led throughout in Saturday night’s Evens & Son Jewellers Stakes at Wentworth Park.
The Bonts bred El Silverado from their former smart short course bitch Indiana Showgirl and they say there are several other members of the same litter with plenty of talent.
"Arizona Sky and Arizona Senorita are very quick but may not get 520 metres at Wentworth Park although Black Samson and Tennessee Rock, their brothers, will definitely run that distance," Elizabeth said on Saturday.
"And El Silverado is probably not the best of them, in fact Black Samson, who has just won his maiden is definitely stronger," husband Peter added.
Army Surplus will race at Bulli on Wednesday to "get acquainted" with the track before the Bulli Gold Cup heats on May 21.
After Friday’s impressive Wentworth Park win, Army Surplus' fourth in eight Wentworth Park starts, owner/trainer Adam Wade said: "I’ve got no doubt he will handle Bulli because while he likes Wenty he is just as good on a big track.
"Army Surplus goes extra well at Maitland so Bulli should suit him."
Wentworth Park is where the money is so Pheasants Nest trainer Jenny Brown is naturally delighted her dog Tainted Luke has made it his favourite course.
Tainted Luke scored his second win in as many Wentworth Park races on Friday night and has broken the 30 second barrier on both occasions.
"Not long ago he was handy but Tainted Luke has really improved, especially at Wentworth Park, which he seems to love," Jenny said after Friday’s race.
Saturday’s most successful trainer was Jason Magri, who landed a double with Classy Sahara and Invidious.
Jason has a big opinion of Invidious, who led throughout in a best of the night 29.69.
"Invidious has always had a lot of ability and while he has taken time to put it all together at Wentworth Park he really settled down in the boxes tonight and pinged the lids," Jason said on Saturday.
"Hopefully that is a sign of things to come."
See you next week!
