Knocka's Return To Reach Milestone

By Jeff Collerson

Knocka's s Return will chalk up start number 100 when he steps onto the track for Thursday's third round of the GBOTA Distance Challenge series at Maitland.

Knocka's Return took his record to 39 wins and 32 placings from 99 appearances when he won round two of the Distance Challenge over 590m at Bulli on Friday, in which he posted fastest time of the night with a 33.39 run.

The GBOTA Challenge series is conducted at Lismore, Bulli, Maitland, Bathurst, Temora, Gunnedah and Gosford with two finals, each worth $20,000 to the winner, at Wentworth Park on June 18.

Finalists will be those greyhounds racking up the most points at the end of the seven country course rounds, where heats are held over both sprint and either middle or long distances.

Knocka's Return will relish the 565m of Thursday's Maitland heats and will also be right at home over the Bathurst 618m trip next Monday.

But while Knocka's Return has been remarkably versatile, winning over distances ranging from 274m to 618m, he has not scored over 720m, distance of the Wentworth Park final.

"I have no doubt he will run out 720m but at the same time he has been too good a dog to me so I don't want to burn him out at this late stage in his career," Wilcox said.

"He has certainly been a great dog because he is really much more at home on big, one turn tracks, than on tighter layouts like Wentworth Park."

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CHRIS Cauchi, son of greyhound racing legend Paul Cauchi, lost no time in landing a winner on his return to Sydney after a long stint working in Queensland.

Cauchi, 55, won a 450m maiden at Maitland with Got There, a gift to him as a reward for his endeavours when he was employed by a professional Queensland trainer.

Cauchi's father Paul trained champion sprinter Pied Rebel, runner-up in the 1971 NSW Greyhound of the Year award, 1976 National Sprint Championship winner Clover Duke, 1978 Summer Cup winner Brettianly and Ragsie, who took out the 1972 Wentworth Park and Association Cups double.

"Dad is 81 and is still training a few greyhounds on Queensland's Gold Coast," CHRIS said.

"Got There is the only greyhound I have in work at this stage but I think he is capable of winning at Wentworth Park.

"Although he won over 450m Maitland he will be better suited over a longer distance because while he is slow early he is very strong.

"Got There has box one in a 535m race at Richmond on Wednesday and I expect him to run well. I have trialled him over 400m at Richmond so he knows his way around the track and before I came to Sydney he trialled 30.50 over 520m at Ipswich."

Former champion greyhound Queen Lauryn's Ipswich 520m record stands at 30.01 so Got There is obviously no slouch.

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Multiple Wentworth Park winner Queen Esther and National Distance Championship finalist Queen Marina have each whelped a litter for their owner Noelene Holloway.

Queen Esther produced her first litter to Dyna Double One three months ago while Queen Marina gave birth to pups sired by El Grand Senor.

It's been a busy period for Holloway with her National Derby winner Magic Spring returning to the Wentworth Park winning list on Saturday. Magic Spring is of course a half brother to Queen Esther and Queen Marina, with all three being by Holloways brood bitch Fascinate Marina.

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Breeder Kevin Gordon's outstanding brood bitch Lochinvar Vogue has just whelped a litter to Magic Sprite.

Lochinvar Vogue, a litter sister to Group 1 winner Lochinvar Marlow, is the dam of Lochinvar Brogue, who became Gosford's third fastest 515m winner when he broke through in a maiden race last Tuesday night.

Lochinvar Brogue had been placed in six of seven starts before finally living up to his potential with a blistering 29.42 victory.

He will contest a 515m fifth grade at Gosford on Tuesday night.

"Lochinvar Brogue is from an amazing litter, sired by Collision, who are only young but have already each won races," Gordon said.