Greyhound racing’s 'old marvel' Watto Lotto lines up for start number 113 tonight and trainer John Callaughan believes the dog is ready to score his 12th win in 71 Wentworth Park appearances.
Watto Lotto, who turns five in April, is in heat three of the petsnacks.com.au Sprint and has drawn six, the only box from which he has not been able to win.
Watto Lotto has been beaten in 13 races wearing the green rug but John Callaughan isn’t too concerned.
“It doesn’t matter what box he has, it all depends on whether he gets room to move when he angles for a run along the rails,’’ Callaughan said.
“He is certainly well placed in this fifth grade race because he has been racing in free-for-all and third and fourth grade races at Wenty in recent weeks.
“The old bloke is going well and was placed in three tougher Wentworth Park races before running fourth to Ritza Hattie there on October 13.
“And he would have finished second in that race if BENNY McCauley’s dog Satchmo’s Hanky had let him through on the rails when Watto was making his move.’’
XXXX
Minnie and John Finn were entitled to have mixed feelings when their sensational debutants Winsome Jacko and Winsome Mission broke and went within an ace of the Maitland 400m record on Thursday.
Winsome Jacko won heat three of the Brodie Wells Electrical Future Stars Maiden in 21.98, becoming the first greyhound to break the 22 barrier at Maitland.
Top grade Wentworth Park sprinter Little Ed had held the record at 22.11 while in heat four of the Future Stars, Winsome Jacko’s litter brother and kennelmate Winsome Mission won in 22.20.
Winsome Jacko and Winsome Mission were whelped in April 2013 and are by El Grand Senor from the Finns’ ill-fated brood bitch Ramblin’ Ruby, who won 18 races and earned $48,000 for trainer Tracey Bryant.
“Ramblin’ Ruby was the dam of a good bitch of ours named Winsome Charlee so John and I bought Ramblin’ Ruby as a broodie,’’ Finn said .
“In her first litter for us she had three pups to Bit Chilli but they contracted a serious virus.
“The El Grand Senors were Ramblin’ Ruby’s next and final litter because three months ago she was due to whelp a massive litter of 11 puppies to Barcia Bale but she died suddenly."
XXXX
At least the Finns have two bitches to eventually breed from out of the El Grand Senor litter, Winsome Amanda, who rattled home to finish second in a Future Stars heat, and the unraced Winsome Jenny.
“There were eight in the litter but one of the quickest broke his leg while being educated and another, which can only run 400 metres, has been sent to NEW ZEALAND,’’ Minnie Finn said.
“John and I have six at home and they can all run, including Winsome Bluey, who also won a Future Stars heat.
“Although Winsome Jacko broke the Maitland record, Winsome Mission has always been the fastest in trials but hit a bit of a flat spot and is just coming back to his best.
XXXX
Take a bow Tracey Bruce! The Northern Coalfields trainer brought veteran Cawbourne Havoc back from a spell of more than three months to break the Gosford 400m record on Tuesday.
Cawbourne Havoc, who turns four in February, has been plagued by wrist problems throughout his career and it was an outstanding training performance to break a track record first up with the greyhound.
