Injury cut short Mizuno Bale's career but she is poised to be a star of the breeding barn following Tronald Trump's win in last Wednesday night's Maiden Series heats at Wentworth Park.
The topically named Tronald Trump, a 22-month-old son of Dyna Tron and Mizuno Bale, is owned by CHRIS Nutt and Shaun Evans and trained by Evans at The Oaks.
Mizuno Bale, a daughter of former top notcher Keeko Bale, looked ready for a glittering career before her time on the track was cut short.
"We trained Mizuno Bale for Paul Wheeler and she had a lot of talent,'' Evans said.
"She had only four starts for a win and three placings but then broke down and had to be retired as a young greyhound.
"Because she had won her maiden at Richmond in 30.83 CHRIS and I wanted to breed from her so persuaded Paul to sell her to us for only $3000.
"At the time we thought it was money well spent because Wilma Bale, who won her first three starts including a sizzling 29.77 effort at her Wenty debut, was Mizuno Bale's litter sister.
"Tronald Trump's 30.65 was slowest of last week's three heat winners but I'm certain he can go faster because he had never seen Wentworth Park before last Wednesday night.
"I only nominated him as an after thought when the dog missed qualifying for the Globe Memorial Maiden final at Richmond so there was no time to trial him at Wenty.''
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Vintage Rox, who put up an outstanding performance to finish a distant third to Where Art Thou in last Wednesday night's fastest WP Maiden Series heat, is already a "miracle'' greyhound.
Vintage Rox is a son of Vintage Blend, who had the potential to be one of Australia's best stayers but "had a mind of her own'' when it came to racing keenly.
Vintage Blend began her staying career sensationally, winning over 717m at Richmond in 41.72 and registering a 10 lengths victory in 42.29 over 720m at WP in 2012.
"Vintage Rox is from Vintage Blend's first litter, whelped to Where's Pedro in March 2014,'' owner-trainer Craig Chappelow said.
"It was a really difficult birth and the puppies, including Vintage Rox, were the smallest one would ever see. They were no bigger than mice.
"Luckily Vintage Rox has thrived and now unlike his mother, he is a tenacious chaser.''
Last Wednesday Vintage Rox, who is first reserve for this Wednesday's final, was badly hampered while attempting to cross to the rails from box eight and had to come from fifth on the back straight to finish third.
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HE may not have won but Pantera Nera, one of the outsiders in Thursday night's Dapto Puppy Auction Classic heats, was unquestionably the surprise packet of the series.
Pantera Nera was disputing the lead at the first turn with the much vaunted Espanyol but was forced off the track when that greyhound shifted wide.
Under the circumstances, Pantera Nera's effort to finish second, beaten less than a length by Espanyol, was remarkable, especially as the winner clocked a slick 29.93.
"Pantera Nera holds the first split record of 4.27 at Gosford so I wasn't surprised he was up near the lead at the first turn,'' trainer Nancy McIntosh said.
"And maybe if the boxes had been reversed he might have won.
"I was pleased with his run because he had never seen the Dapto track previously.''
McIntosh has been training for 45 years but surprisingly Pantera Nera was only her second starter at the Dapto track.
"My previous runner at Dapto was 20 years ago because it is a seven-hour round trip from my place at Abermain,'' she added.
