John Finn trained the 2003 Group 1 Paws Of Thunder winner Winsome Shot and won the race again a decade later with Sheikha but he rates he and wife Minnie’s entries for next Saturday night’s heats as superior greyhounds.
"The four we will be nominating are definitely faster," Finn said after Winsome Mission and Winsome Prince had landed a winning double for wife Minnie at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
“Winsome Shot was a 66/1 ($67) chance when he won and Sheikha was a good bitch but not as fast as Winsome Prince and company."
On Saturday Winsome Mission shrugged off the effects of a fall at Wentworth Park on December 20 to take the lead leaving the back straight before holding off the strong finishing Karma Connie to win in 29.92.
And Winsome Prince overcame a slow start to hit the front approaching the home bend before just lasting to defeat Varcoe in 29.95, posting his 13th win in 14 starts.
Unfortunately Linski, who made the early pace in Winsome Prince’s race, dropped a hind leg muscle and according to trainer John Ayoub will have to be retired.
Fastest time of the night was posted by Ella Has Class, who is set to tackle Saturday night’s Paws Of Thunder heats and then aim for the Group 1 National Futurity at the end of this month.
Ella Has Class led throughout in 29.87 while Luke Azzopardi’s Dragon Emgrand won in 29.95 and Assertive Bella, a new addition to NSW trainer Jason Mackay’s kennels, scored first up at Wentworth Park in 29.97.
Jingjing, another National Futurity contender did her chances no harm for the upcoming Group 1 series, winning her Wentworth Park debut in 30.16 and maintaining her perfect 100% winning strike rate in her brief race career.
Queensland’s top sprinter Iva Vision will also contest Saturday night’s Ladbrokes Paws Of Thunder heats after trialling a slick 29.92 in a solo hit-out before the first race.
"I thought he would go a bit quicker but maybe the track is not all that fast tonight and it was his first look at Wentworth Park," trainer Brian Young said later.
"And his run home time of 11.75 was encouraging although that didn’t surprise me because he is strong."
Meanwhile, Melbourne trainers Brett and Kelly Bravo remain undecided on a start for Kiltah Magic in Saturday night’s Group 2 Summer Distance Plate heats despite their bitch’s impressive all-the-way win at her 720m debut on Saturday night.
"I knew she would run the distance because she ran a good second in the 650m Sale Cup on Boxing Day but Kiltah Magic’s problem is she is such a terribly wide runner," Brett Bravo said after Saturday’s race.
"I’m not sure yet whether to bring her back for the Summer Distance Plate heats because her time tonight, 42.40, was nothing flash."
A definite Summer Plate entry though is rookie stayer Serena Nimbus, who powered home to finish second to Kiltah Magic after being blocked for a run approaching the home bend.
"Serena Nimbus is a dyed-in-the-wool stayer which is why I have put her over 720m even though she does not turn two until March," trainer Neville Brown said on Saturday.
"I would never have done this previously but I was worried she might get bashed around at the start if I kept putting her in 600 metre races so I bit the bullet and threw her in at the deep end."
Although he failed to break the 30 second barrier, the Anthony Azzopardi-trained Cosmic Angel was one of Saturday night’s most impressive Wentworth Park winners.
Cosmic Angel was badly checked when attempting to rail underneath pacemaker Longneck in Saturday night’s Petsnacks Stakes and did well to recover and win by three lengths in 30.10.
He will join Azzopardi’s sensational winner from Friday night’s Gosford meeting, My Boy Snoop, in this week’s Paws Of Thunder heats.
See you next week!
