Sweet Lolly gave Matraville hobby trainer Peter Massa his first Wentworth Park winner in 22 years on Saturday night - and his first success since the track was converted from grass to sand.
Sweet Lolly led throughout to easily win a heat of the Bohemia Crystal Sprint, posting a slick first split of 5.42 and clocking a handy 30.16 for the 520m.
“My only other city winner was What’s The Buzz who won at Wenty in 1992 when the track surface was grass,’’ Massa said.
“I raced Sweet Lolly’s dam Loud Lolly.’’
Peter and his wife Gail have only Sweet Lolly in work, but they also have a retired greyhound along with Spiffer, who has just been mated with Dyna Lachlan.
Spiffer won only five of 104 races but was a handy money spinner for the Massas, racking up 10 placings at Wentworth Park.
Sweet Lolly’s smart getaway on Saturday contrasted sharply to her previous Wentworth Park start eight days earlier when she came out of the boxes 10 lengths behind the field.
“She tends to go backwards and forwards waiting for the boxes to open and when she bungled the start she misjudged the jump badly,’’ Peter said.
Father Skeeta earned a start in Sunday’s Group 3 Canberra Cup heats with a tenacious win in a smart 30.03 at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
When noted strong finisher Spanky’s Legacy made the pace Father Skeeta’s task looked formidable but the Les Dennis-trained dog rattled home down the outside to win by a length.
Les wasn’t surprised that Father Skeeta, known for his early speed, was able to run down Spanky’s Legacy.
“Father Skeeta is very strong, he would run 600 metres off the lead,’’ Dennis quipped.
“He suffered a Little nick in a toe on the back foot tonight so if it is all right he’ll go to Canberra, otherwise I’ll give him a week off and bring him back to Wentworth Park.’’
Branxton newsagent Sue Smith’s consistent front-runner Lucy Lips took her record to 12 wins and five placings from 34 starts with her all-the-way win in her heat of the Bohemia Crystal.
Because of the wet weather Lucy Lips had been “on the lead’’ since finishing second at Wentworth Park on August 23 so it was not surprising Little Rum took ground off Sue’s greyhound in the straight.
Greta trainer Walter Simmons was concerned when part of Tuesday’s Gosford meeting was rained out because his bitch Explosive Ebony missed a start in preparation for Saturday night’s third heat of the Bohemia Crystal.
But Walter need not have worried as Explosive Ebony lived up to her name, exploding from the boxes for an all-the-way win.
“Daniel Brown, head of the syndicate which owns Explosive Ebony, could not be here tonight as he and his family and friends were celebrating his son’s first birthday,’’ Simmons said.
“My wife Helen and I were invited but when I noticed this race being advertised I asked Helen where we should go and she didn’t hesitate in saying ‘to Wentworth Park’.
“I’m sure Daniel didn’t mind our absence as Explosive Ebony picked up another $4350 prize money!’’
Explosive Ebony has now earned more than $25,000 for her connections, remarkable given they acquired her through an act of extreme generosity from former breeder-trainer and now GRNSW steward, Norm Becroft.
“The owners had bought a six months old pup bred by Norm at the Dapto auction but at 14 months old it developed problems and was worthless as a racing proposition,’’ Simmons explained.
“It would have been generous for Norm to replace it with a three or six month old puppy, but instead he handed over free of charge a promising, ready to race 16 months old daughter of Bombastic Shiraz, and that is Explosive Ebony.
“There are people of great integrity in this sport."
Undoubtedly the biggest run of the weekend’s Wentworth Park meetings was the 29.57 performance by Kulu Special in Saturday night’s Sophie’s Off The Market Stakes.
Trainer Anthony Azzopardi could win with a foxie at present and Kulu Special not only scored her third win in four Wentworth Park starts but recorded a slick first split of 5.42 before posting an extraordinary run home of 11.56 on the way to her personal best 520m time at Wentworth Park.
Impressive newcomer Space Star suffered a rare loss, finishing third in the Schweppes Distance Challenge Final (720m).
The promising stayer has been in devastating form this year and is one to watch closely but trailed behind winner Gotta Problem and Terry's Memory.
See you next week!
