Local stayers Serena Nimbus and Shoulders dominaTed last night's heats of the Group 3 Summer Cup (720m) at Wentworth Park.
The Neville Brown-trained Serena Nimbus set the time standard when she ran down Sydney Cup winner Ada Mary to win heat one by three-quarters of a length in 42.27.
Then Shoulders, having his first Wentworth Park 720m test, led throughout to win heat two by seven lengths in 42.47.
Shoulders was part of a winning treble for trainer Anthony Azzopardi, who has now landed three winners at each of the past three Wentworth Park meetings, which is a remarkable achievement.
"I'm pleasantly surprised at how well (Shoulders) stuck on because he has not had an ideal preparation for this race," Azzopardi said on Saturday night.
"I nominaTed him for his first Wentworth Park 720m test a few weeks back but the meeting was washed out before his race came up.
"I had no choice but to throw him into a 715m race at Sandown on November 13 and he ran a creditable fifth, but he still had not had the thorough preparation I would like to have given him for the Summer Cup."
Brown, meanwhile, said Serena Nimbus had also had a far from perfect lead-up to her Summer Cup heat.
"She has had a succession of niggling injuries and although she is finally over all that, going into tonight's race she had not had a 720m run for over a month," he said.
Brown was jubilant later when Serena Nimbus drew box one for Saturday's final.
"Serena Nimbus will drive a lot harder when she finds the fence and the rails should help her begin cleanly," he added.
Box draw for the Group 3 Summer Cup is: 1. Serena Nimbus 2. Zipping Echo 3. Shoulders 4. Ada Mary 5. Bourbski Fever 6. It's A Bird 7. Wild Fire 8. Luna Jinx. Reserves: 9. Phantom Reign 10. Chinese Whisper.
Although Ada Mary was beaten her trainer Sharon Grey was satisfied with her second placing behind Serena Nimbus.
"She is so honest, I'm so proud of her, and tonight she went a fraction faster than her previous best Wentworth Park time," Grey said.
Victoria's Bourbski Fever had no luck when fourth in Shoulders' heat and despite drawing box five could still be sent out favourite for the final.
Victoria's other hope Luna Jinx squeezed into the final by finishing fourth in her heat. Her trainer Gavin Harris was hoping for box one or two, but his greyhound drew eight.
In other action on Saturday night, Opus Forte's 13th Wentworth Park win on Saturday night has made him the most prolific Wentworth Park winner for trainer Luke Azzopardi.
"I had a dog called Uncle Bully who won 10 and more recently Chenzhou Boy won 11 at Wenty but I've never had a dog win 13 races at the track," Azzopardi said.
Owner Ted Ciszewski was impressed when a Victorian greyhound, Spiral Ballerina, won a heat of the Black Top at Unibet Gardens, so did not hesitate in buying a pup when that greyhound whelped a litter in December, 2013.
And on Saturday night the pup he bought, Virouette, trained by Ted's mate Ron Lambert, scored her second WP win in 72 hours.
Virouette led throughout on Wednesday night and coped with a rise in class to come from second early and win again on Saturday.
"Ron and I race Virouette in partnership and I bought her as a little puppy for only $3000," Ciszewski said.
"She broke in brilliantly but early in her career struggled to run 520 metres.
"But she is getting stronger all the time and should continue to do so because she does not turn two until next month."
See you next week!
