Maya Herrera, who caused a sensation at Dapto last Thursday by posting 29.80 in a 520m performance trial, will make her keenly anticipated race debut at the same track on Thursday night.
The 19-month-old daughter of former smart race greyhound Tifia led throughout to win her trial in time rarely matched by an unraced youngster, and did so despite getting wide at the first turn.
Trainer John Little admits even he was somewhat surprised at how fast Maya Herrera went.
"I had given her one post-to-post hand-slip at Dapto and she went well, clocking 24.49,'' Little said. "I told her owners we might as well step her up to a 520m performance trial immediately but after Thursday's hit-out, her first test over the distance, she wasn't even blowing.
"Maya Herrera is a natural.''
Little's greyhound is raced by Danny Oliver, Mick Whyte and Ivan O'Brien, whose brother CHRIS O'Brien trained Maya Herrera's dam Tifia.
"The fastest Tifia ran at Dapto was 29.86 so it is really exciting to see a pup from her first litter go even quicker,'' CHRIS O'Brien said.
"Tifia won nine of only 25 starts before dropping a hind leg muscle in late 2012 and being retired.
"She won her first three Wentworth Park starts, a heat, semi-final and final of the Group 3 Magic Maiden, and while her career was cut short she looks like being an outstanding producer.
"Maya Herrera is obviously very good but some of her siblings are also trialling well and the pleasing thing is they all show strength at the finish of their work.''
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Punch Right Out, from the first litter produced by former champion bitch Punch One Out, was also an impressive performance trial winner last Thursday.
Trained by Jason MACKAY, who had so much success with Punch One Out, Punch Right Out won a 450m trial in 25.52.
"He can run because he has clocked around 22.40 for the 400m trip at Maitland but he is still very green,'' MACKAY said.
"I have four offspring of Punch One Out and while they are only 20 months old they tend to do things wrong in a field at this stage, with Punch Right Out wanting to run up the track and check off other dogs' heels in his trial.''
Punch One Out won 23 of 50 starts and scored five wins and a second from her first seven Wentworth Park outings.
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The Group 1 National Derby heats at Wentworth Park on January 23 are the immediate target for Victoria's Unlawful Entry, who took out Thursday night's Group 1 Hobart Thousand.
Unlawful Entry is a December 2013 whelping, so will be among the most experienced and best performed candidates in the Derby, which is for male greyhounds whelped on or after July 1 of that year.
Unlawful Entry has now won eight of his past 11 starts and trainer Brett Bravo's wife Kelly said the Derby is Unlawful Entry's next date in NSW.
It would not surprise, however, if the Bravos were tempted to take on the all aged top notchers in another Group 1 Wentworth Park race, the Paws Of Thunder, which gets under way with heats on January 9.
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Miner's Moss, who chased home Western Dave at Casino on Friday at his 109th start, will tackle the Group 2 Woy Woy Poultry Gold Cup heats at Gosford on Sunday.
Exciting kennelmate Norm The Storm, who has been lighting up Albion Park in recent months with a string of hot performances , will be Northern Rivers trainer Mathew Reid's top Cup contender but the evergreen Miner's Moss is a handy "second string'' as he is ideally suited by the Gosford 515m trip.
Miner's Moss has won 43 of his 109 races and earned $107,000 prizemoney, and although he turned four in June is racing as well as ever.
