La Grande Logie, who toppled Group race winners Rue De Kahn and Ritza Hattie in Saturday night’s top grade sprint at Wentworth Park, was a lucky acquisition for owner-trainer Jeff Eaton.
Eaton, a tennis coach who owns the Maitland Tennis Centre, and wife Carole have each held owner-trainer licences for only two years.
In August 2013 they visited breeder Mick Jones’ property at Nabiac to buy two young bitches.
One of the bitches they selected, Famous Style, gave Carole her first city winner at Wentworth Park in October but fate stepped in when, as an afterthought, they also asked Jones if he had any other pups for sale.
The breeder offered them a four months old youngster by El Grand Senor and that juvenile is now racing as La Grande Logie.
La Grande Logie, named after the Eatons’ grandson Logan, is owned and trained by Jeff and has now had 15 starts for eight wins and six placings.
Next month’s Golden Easter Egg now looms as a genuine proposition for La Grande Logie, who possesses the rare combination of dazzling early speed and strength at the finish.
On Saturday he posted brilliant sectional times of 5.35, 13.68 and 17.83 before stopping the clock at 29.73, with his run home figures a respectable 11.90.
Jeff Eaton has ruled out a start for La Grande Logie in Next month’s Richmond Derby for a unique reason.
“The heats and final are held on a Friday night and that is the busiest period for my tennis business, I can’t be away from work on a Friday,’’ he insisted.
Opus Forte, who ran home in an impressive 11.82sec to win a heat of the Ladbrokes Sprint Series on Saturday night, was being set for the New Sensation heats at Wentworth Park on March 20.
But after the dog stormed home to win in a slick 29.98 on Saturday trainer Luke Azzopardi discovered Opus Forte was 48 hours too old for the Group 3 Event.
“It is for greyhounds whelped on or after November 14, 2012 but Opus Forte was born on November 12,’’ a disappointed Azzopardi said.
“It would have been a good race for him Because I believe this dog is going to keep improving.
“Because of an old injury I could not work him hard when I first began training him but he is now getting better with every run.’’
Fastest time of the night on Saturday was Foxy Nakita’s 29.70 performance in the opening Event but despite recording her personal best Wentworth Park figures trainer Steve White thinks she can go faster.
“She raced at 28.7kg tonight but I believe her ideal racing weight is 28.3kg,’’ White said after the race.
“And although she begun cleanly tonight I think she will jump faster more consistently, once she fully works out the Wentworth Park boxes.’’
Trainer JODIE Lord’s winning treble with Jack Kade, Let It Develop and Scarp Missile at Wentworth Park on Saturday night, is a lesson in perseverance.
Six weeks ago, after litter brothers Jack Kade, Let It Develop and Pierro Kade were often leading but getting run down over 520m at WP, I asked Lord if she intended to continue bringing the Peter Spiteri-owned trio to town.
“They will get stronger, and while they will never be super strong at the end of 520 metres they will pinch a race now and then and fill a lot of placings along the way,’’ Lord said.
“Too many trainers give their dogs one or two 520m races and when they lead and get tired they become convinced they will never run the distance. But they usually do."
Jack Kade and Let It Develop clocked 30.11 and 29.85 respectively on Saturday while Pierro Kade, the star of the trio, was a great third in top grade at Wentworth Park on Friday and has now had three wins and five placings at the track.
See you Next week!
