Reefton Treasure, Miss Foxy Lee and Lovelace ran slashing trials for next week's heats of the Ubet National Sprint and Distance Championships with their performances at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Reefton Treasure gave punters who snapped up his skinny $1.65 quote palpitations when he collided heavily at the first turn before storming home to win a fourth and fifth grade 520m race by three lengths.
It was a fine pointer to Saturday's National Sprint Championship heats at the Sydney circuit, which will feature most of NSW's best sprinters.
"On the back straight the best I was hoping for was that Reefton Treasure would finish second," owner-trainer Margaret Bannerman said. "I can't believe he got up and won.
"Coming into the first turn he looked as if he was going to rail through to sit behind the leader but he shifted out slightly and collided with Grand Ethics, who was in second place.
"Maybe Reefton Treasure has had so many middle boxes he ran in a straight line and attempted to go around Grand Ethics instead of railing inside him.''
Miss Foxy Lee defeated Lovelace by a half length in Saturday night's strong fourth and fifth grade 720m event and neither lost any admirers in the lead-up to the National Distance Championship series.
Miss Foxy Lee, having only her second 720m test, was fourth at the first turn but railed into second position on the back straight before pouncing on the lead approaching the home bend.
She hung on to beat the strong finishing Lovelace, who was last to leave the starting boxes and was badly hampered by the wide running Sawadee when turning into the straight the first time around.
"That was a gutsy effort because my greyhound led all the way to win her only previous 720m race at Wenty but tonight she had to work hard," trainer Dean Swain said.
"I realise Lovelace found trouble but she is a mature, experienced stayer so for Miss Foxy Lee to hold her out in the run home was encouraging.''
"That was her first race for a fortnight and considering another dog carted her off the track early I was very happy with my greyhound's run," Lovelace's trainer John Smart.
Sydney's fastest beginner Aisle Tifi continued to display improved stamina when she scored her sixth all the way Wentworth Park win in a 520m fourth and fifth grade.
"She nearly always looks beaten going down the back straight before seeming to get a second wind,'' trainer Owen Langley said.
"Aisle Tifi is definitely getting stronger because she broke 12sec in the run home when she won on July 23 and broke it again tonight."
Another front runner, Nacho Nellie, came from third at box rise to lead at the first turn before winning her fourth and fifth grade 520m in a personal best 30.14.
"Nacho Nellie is a good bitch and her owner, Phil Rodi, has worked for me for many years,'' trainer Peter Rodgers said later. "I also trained Nacho Nellie's mother Summer Spring and she was a smart greyhound, winning 15 races for me.''
See you next week!
