Big Tee Rex is shaping up as an eye-catching contender for this Saturday's Group 1 Vic Peters Classic heats.
The Vic Peters Classic, which begins with heats at Wentworth Park next Saturday night, promises to be among the most keenly contested on record with several juveniles emerging at top contenders.
With Fernando Bale ineligible due to his age, the Vic Peters, which has been held annually since 1951, looks wide open.
A fortnight ago giant greyhound Big Tee Rex was not being talked about as a Classic prospect, but a 400m Maitland record equalling performance backed up by a sizzling 450m win at the same track last Thursday has him in strong contention.
On Thursday Big Tee Rex, trained by golf professional Troy McDonald, gave boom sprinter He's Some Love a big start and an easy beating to clock 24.88, just .09s outside Winsome Prince's track record.
McDonald's wife Natalie, who is the daughter of leading owner-breeder Lorraine Atchison, has confirmed Big Tee Rex would be nominated for the Classic heats.
"The great thing about this dog is that he is a ferocious chaser," Natalie said. "He would charge through a brick wall.
"He has never been any different and even in his first race, while he didn't win, he was pushing the other dogs out of the way to try and reach the lure.''
Big Tee Rex is a 38.5kg giant and a litter brother to Magic Spring, the prolific Wentworth Park winner owned and trained by Natalie McDonald's aunt, Noelene Holloway.
"We brought Big Tee Rex to our kennels when he was 11 months old because Noelene reared him," Troy McDonald said. "She tagged him 'Houdini' because he was forever escaping from his yard.
"He must have chewed up about 20 beds after we got him home and then his racing career was interrupted when he succumbed to a bout of pneumonia.
"That sidelined him for two months but it has obviously not affected him in the long term.''
XXXX
A simple operation has rejuvenated the career of Zambora Brockie, another top candidate for Saturday night's Vic Peters Classic heats.
Zambora Brockie made a sensational Wentworth Park debut last Wednesday night, leading throughout in best time of the meeting figures of 29.66.
He not only produced a sizzling first split of 5.35, but completed his quick trip with a slick 11.76 run home.
"Zambora Brockie has always been able to run blistering times but he formerly had some difficulty negotiating the turns,'' trainer Anthony Azzopardi said.
"Then we discovered one of his testicles was caught up in his groin and I believe that was 'pinching' him as he went around a corner.
"Since having that problem rectified Zambora Brockie has not looked back.
"I wasn't really surprised he went so fast at Wenty on Wednesday as he had previously recorded 24.08 in a post-to-post hand-slip at the track for me.
"He is the right age for the Vic Peters so it looks a good race for him.''
XXXX
Big Tee Rex's time at Maitland on Thursday was bettered marginally by No Donuts, who stopped the clock at 24.85 for the 450m.
No Donuts will also be nominated for Saturday night's Vic Peters Classic heats, with owner-trainer Brad Canty declaring the dog was going "as well as ever.''
"Last month I took him to Melbourne for the Traralgon Cup and the Sandown Speed Star Series," Canty said. "He trialled 29.41 at Sandown, which is flying.
"But when he narrowly failed to qualify for the Traralgon Cup he was drawn in the Consolation Final and because I was not permitted to scratch him from that race he had to miss the Sandown Speed Star.
"No Donuts pulled up well after Maitland last Thursday and after the Vic Peters series I plan to step him up to middle distance racing.''
