Chasing Diana’s racing career ended prematurely in April 2013 but her first litter of pups are set to take up where she left off.
The chaser's five wins for trainer John Little included two at Wentworth Park, one of which was achieved after she had returned to the track from a dropped hind leg muscle.
But on Thursday her 18-month-old daughter Replacing Diana won the Dapto Maiden Final and 24 hours earlier her sons Son Of Harrods and Pedro Cerrano had recorded sizzling times in performance trials over 400m at Bulli.
The dogs have each been entered for their first race appearances at Bulli this Wednesday.
“Chasing Diana had good early speed but was not real strong over the final 50 metres or so,’’ Little said.
“Replacing Diana had no luck in her maiden heat at Dapto so the boys in the syndicate which own her had a good win on her in Thursday night’s final.
“Pedro Cerrano and Son Of Harrods surprised me a bit with their performance trial times of 22.57 and 22.58 respectively.
“Before those trials they had only recorded 23.01 and 23.05 in their first Bulli hit-outs although I suspect the track is a bit faster on race night.
“There is only a half length between Pedro Cerrano and Son Of Harrods because if I trial them together one will win one day, the other the next.
“But Son Of Harrods is a slightly better box dog at this stage.’’
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Nancy Rudd, the grand old lady of greyhound racing, has sadly passed away aged 93.
Nancy and her late husband Ron, who were married in 1944, began training winners in 1949 and while they soon had top graders like Jandark, Tipsy Jet and Tipsy Nicole in their kennels, their best greyhound was Cabernet, runner-up to King Miller in the 1971 National Sprint Championship.
Cabernet won a dozen races at Wentworth Park over both the sprint and staying distances.
Nancy and Ron also stood the Irish star Waverly Supreme at stud and that dog became the greatest sire ever imported to Australia.
Julie Fletcher, trainer of current star Whittaker, is the daughter of Nancy and Ron Rudd and yesterday Julie’s husband Bruce paid tribute to his mother-in-law.
“I never Nancy to be unhappy or to feel bad about anybody," he said. "She had a remarkable outlook on life.
“In recent times when Nancy was not well enough to go to the races with us, she would compile the placings of each race at every TAB meeting for us to peruse when we got home.
“And if we had a runner at Wentworth Park, she would be on the phone by the time the dogs got to the catching pen to discuss their performances with Julie.
“Ron and Nancy Rudd are testimony to the benefits of greyhound racing, because due to having this sport as an interest they each possessed sharp minds right up until the end of their lives.’’
Nancy Rudd’s funeral will be held at noon on Tuesday at the Rose Chapel, Palmdale Crematorium, Ourimbah.
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Garry Frazer, who trains 25 thoroughbreds at Hawkesbury, branched out on Thursday when Gift Box, one of two greyhounds he trains as a hobby, scored an impressive win in a heat of the Dapto to Wenty series.
Gift Box, who took her record to four wins from 10 starts, scampered over the 520m trip in a smart 30.12.
“I’ll give her a post-to-post slip at Wentworth Park Before bringing her there for the final on Friday night,’’ Frazer said.
“Although training thoroughbreds is my livelihood I have always had a soft spot for the greyhounds.
“I bought my first greyhound puppies from the legendary Bob Doak, and they were offspring of his 1974 Australian Cup winner Kim’s Monaro, so I’ve been involve with the dogs for a long while.
“The greyhounds are my stress relief away from jockeys!’’
