Unraced maiden Milldean Focus, talk of the track after posting a sensational 29.97 in a performance trial at Dapto on Thursday, is unlikely to race before the heats of the Group 3 Magic Maiden at Wentworth Park on March 22.
Trainer Cliff Bell said he intended to be patient and set the exciting youngster for the Wentworth Park series.
“Thursday’s trial was only Milldean Focus’ second time out of the starting boxes and his first test over 520m,’’ he said.
“Before Thursday all he had was a 297m trial at Dapto and then two post-to-post hand-slips there, where he clocked 24.44 and 24.40.
“I’ll now give him a couple of looks at Wentworth Park before getting him ready for the big maiden race held during the Golden Easter Egg carnival.’’
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Queen's Gate broke down when on the verge of a stellar career but trainer ERNIE Borg’s decision to retire her is paying off big time with the bitch’s first litter sweeping all before them.
Gate">Golden Gate scored his third win from his past five starts over 565m at Maitland on Thursday while 24 hours earlier litter brother and kennelmate Gate">Spring Gate came from last to win over 515m at Bulli.
ERNIE trains Gate">Golden Gate and Gate">Spring Gate while brother George prepares another from the litter, Pedagogy, who has won three from four Wentworth Park starts where he has clocked 30.07.
“Queen’s Gate won four of 14 races and finished second in the Bankstown City Cup but tore a hip support twice and when it happened the second time I decided to breed from her immediately,’’ Borg said.
“Six of the seven pups from her first litter to Spring Gun, whelped in December, 2012, have raced and they have all won and I’m especially excited about my pair, Gate">Golden Gate and Gate">Spring Gate.
“Gate">Spring Gate was a late starter because he fractured a toe at 14 months of age and it took a while to have him broken in and in racing condition.
“Gate">Golden Gate has won over 720m at Wentworth Park and relished box eight when he won at Maitland on Thursday because he needs room to move.
“He is the type of dog who, if he gets bumped, takes too long to get wound up again.’’
Queen’s Gate’s second litter of four dogs pups by El Grand Senor have broken in faster than the Spring Gun offspring but are still around three months away from making their racing debuts.
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Trainer Noelene Holloway’s decision to move King Sapphire to the kennels of her sister Carole Eaton and her husband Jeff paid off when the dog clocked a slick 25.35 to win over 450m at Maitland on Thursday.
“Main reason I asked Carole and Jeff to train King Sapphire was that they have a walking machine and I don’t,’’ Noelene said.
“I free gallop my greyhounds and greyhounds like Queen Esther keep themselves fit by doing a lot of running around.
“But King Sapphire is a bit lazy and just wanders about so I thought that might be why he has not been able to run out a strong 520 metres at Wentworth Park.
“I believed that working out on Jeff and Carole’s walking machine might get him more solid and hopefully that will be the case when he returns to Wenty.’’
