Next month's National Sprint and Distance Championships continue to take shape with Cardiology zooming into calculations for the stayers' title with a slick 42.50 win over 720m at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Having her first long distance test since June 2, Cardiology "nailed'' the start and after setting up a big early lead hung on to defeat the always fast-finishing Young Gun by a half length.
"I had nominated Cardiology for the previous week's Wentworth Park meeting but there was no race available so I took her to Nowra where she missed the jump and found trouble in a 630m race last Monday,'' trainer Kayla-Jane COLEMAN said.
"The plan is to enter Cardiology for another 720m event at Wenty Next week which should give her an ideal preparation for the NSW heats of the National Distance Championship on August 6.''
NSW finals of the Sprint and Distance titles will be staged at Wentworth Park on August 13 with the grand finals at Adelaide's Angle Park on August 27.
Good Odds Angel will tackle the NSW Sprint heats after scoring her seventh Wentworth Park win in 23 appearances in Saturday night's Ladbrokes Free For All.
The Tracey Hurst-trained greyhound is in the best form of her career and again showed her liking for an outside draw, racing to an early lead after exiting box seven.
Although beaten into fourth place, Knight Sprite lost no admirers from a Championship viewpoint, battling on gamely after an unusually slow getaway.
Owner Fred Anthes paid $6500 for Aisle Tifi after the greyhound had won only three provincial races but has been well rewarded with the Owen Langley-trained greyhound scoring her fifth Wentworth Park win on Saturday night.
Arguably the fastest beginner in training, Aisle Tifi was surprisingly outpaced early by Stilton Gold before finishing best along the rails to win in 30.26.
"I think she had won three of 20 starts when I bought her so she has been a great buy,'' Anthes said after Saturday's race.
No doubt about that, with Aisle Tifi's earnings now approaching the $35,000 mark.
An even greater buy has been Hughie's Pick, an $800 bargain basement purchase for long time Wentworth Park race night employee Malcolm Smart.
Hughie's Pick came from last at the first turn to win a 520m fifth grade on Saturday night, lifting his prize money to over $20,000.
"After 30 years as a hobby trainer I'm finally getting some financial return thanks to Hughie's Pick,'' Smart said.
"If he can earn another $100,000 I'll probably be square,'' he quipped.
And finally how about the training feat of Keith Pedrana, who won Saturday night's Evans & Son Jewellers Bitches' Final with Dawn Mini?
Although just 28 months of age, Dawn Mini, who prevailed by a nose after a thrilling all-the-way duel with Lochinvar Dash, is already the veteran of 72 starts for 11 wins.
"Dawn Mini loves to run and I race her instead of trialling her, it's as simple as that,'' Pedrana said.
"Her early racing was in short 400m events and she has never been knocked about so I figured why pay to trial when I can race her?''
Saturday's win swelled Dawn Mini's earnings to more than $33,000 but it was also a tribute to Pedrana's training skill as he has been able to keep the consistently smart beginner in good health and top form.
See you Next week!
