Zipping Willow, chasing her 13th win in 14 starts this year, has trialled brilliantly on the eve of Friday night’s third heat of the Group 2 Black Top at Unibet Gardens.
The Jason Mackay-trained chaser, who has won 27 of 39 races and three from five at Unibet Gardens, is tipped to lead throughout from box seven.
"Jason took Zipping Willow to Richmond on Sunday morning and she clocked 22.45 seconds for the 400 metres," the greyhound’s owner-breeder Marty Hallinan said.
"That is absolutely flying for a Sunday morning trial."
While Jason Mackay trains the bulk of Hallinan’s team, the Clergate breeder is training Tricky Jade and Tricky Rose, who will contest heats two and four respectively.
Tricky Jade is the better performed of the pair but while she trialled well at Unibet Gardens early this week her owner-trainer is concerned about her race fitness.
"I have just trialled Tricky Jade over the 515m Black Top course and she recorded 29.90, which is a smart run at seven o’clock in the morning," Hallinan said.
"When Zipping Brock, my 2014 National Derby winner trialled there at the same time, he did not break 30 seconds.
"But Tricky Jade has not raced since injuring her back muscle and tailing off at Sandown on May 8.
"She is fit and well and has a big motor but you can’t beat hard, tough race fitness.
"Just the same, she is well drawn near the rails in box two and does not appear to be in one of the toughest heats."
The Black Top heats are the first leg of the new Thank Dog It's Friday racing series.
The exciting scheme aims to showcase the best regional racing NSW has to offer in a primetime Friday night slot.
Over the coming months, Thank Dog It's Friday celebrations will be held at some of the biggest Group races at the state's regional tracks.
VIP tickets to the Doghouse marquee, featuring free food and drink and the chance to rub shoulders with an NRL legend, will be up for grabs.
As part of the series, both the Black Top heats and final at Unibet Gardens will be held in a Friday night timeslot.
Meanwhile, Lani Banarni was a late scratching on veterinary advice from last Saturday night’s Wentworth Park meeting but trainer Charlie Gatt has assured punters there is nothing amiss with his brilliant chaser, who will contest heat six of the Group 2 Black Top (515m), where she will jump from box two.
Stewards pulled Lani Banarni out of Saturday’s Wentworth Park meeting when the greyhound began to shake in the kennels but her trainer put the greyhound’s behaviour down to her "being too hyped up".
Gatt got a veterinary clearance on Monday to say Lani Banarni was fit for her Black Top engagement and says missing a race on Saturday won’t affect her chances.
"I have given her two hand-slips since the weekend and she is raring to go," he said.
"Lani Banarni’s problem is she gets so excited when she is about to race.
"Last Saturday night she was in kennel one and started to shake and quiver with excitement when she saw the other dogs going back and forth for their races.
"It is the first time she has done so at a race meeting but she had previously reacted the same way on two occasions at home when she realised she was about to head off to the track.
"She simply gets too hyped up but it is all forgotten once she gets onto the course and both times she got excited at home she came out and won at Wentworth Park.
"Lani Banarni goes well at The Gardens and has won in 29.40 there from an inside box so I’m pleased to see her in box two."
Gatt also has Minza Red One engaged in heat five where the veteran will jump from box six.
Mystery runner of the Black Top series is former Victorian greyhound Rozehill Sanya, who makes her debut for local trainer Robert Smith in heat one.
Click here for full fields, form and tips for the Black Top heats.
For more information on the Thank Dog It's Friday series, click here.
