Melissa's Pride was the least experienced greyhound in Saturday night's rich Ladbrokes Monthly Medal Best Eight Stakes but she handled the occasion like a veteran to produce a courageous all-the-way win.
Trained by Michelle Shambler for owner Len Morgan, Melissa's Pride made full use of the rails box to land the race by a neck from Whittaker, the "old stager'' of the strong field.
Boom Young stayer Mr Shire lost no friends by finishing just over two lengths away in third place, after getting on to Whittaker's heels leaving the back straight.
Sydney Cup winner Apatite had been checked when in second position at the first turn and Miss Foxy Lee was hampered trying to reach the rails from box six but full honours were with the winner.
Having only her 22nd start, Melissa's Pride took her Wentworth Park 720m tally to three wins and two seconds from six appearances.
"I'm so proud of the way this greyhound keeps finding something when another dog moves up to her," owner Len Morgan, who named Melissa's Pride after his late daughter, said.
"When Melissa's Pride makes the pace and gets challenged, she always seems to lift determinedly in order to hang on to the lead.''
Goodwin Terry maintained his unbeaten record from box eight with a tenacious neck win in Saturday night's AAA Radiator Specialists Stakes (520m).
Owned and trained by Bryan Young at Kearsley, Goodwin Terry has now won each of five starts while wearing the pink rug.
Although the dog's time on Saturday (30.36) was well wide of his personal best Wentworth Park figures of 30.03, it was Goodwin Terry's best win.
"When he was trailing Aisle Tifi on the back straight Goodwin Terry was checked off her heels and when that happened I thought he was gone,'' Young said.
"Then at the top of the straight he put his nose in front but he, Aisle Tifi, and Black Hole Sun, who finished second, were still head and head three across the track.
"It was a gutsy win and I'm so pleased because I named this dog after the late Terry Ransom, a fellow trainer who was a close friend of mine.''
Trainer Joe Comito attributed the rails box and being in an early race to Poker Date's return to the Wentworth Park winning list in Saturday night's ladbrokes.com.au Stakes (520m).
Poker Date led throughout from box one to win the third race on the card, covering the 520m in a slick 30.03 and running home in an impressive 11.84.
"When Poker Date has been run down after leading it has been when he has been drawn in a late race,'' Comito said. "Reason is this dog plays up in the kennels so when he competes late in the programme he does not seem to be as strong at the finish of his races.
"While he had been unplaced at his two previous Wentworth Park races they were from boxes eight and seven so box one made a huge difference tonight.''
There is not a more honest greyhound in work than Good Odds Angel who notched her ninth Wentworth Park win in Saturday night's 520m Free For All.
Good Odds Angel, a front runner, did not look suited by the small field of six but she ran her rivals off their legs and went to the line resolutely to win easily.
"She has always been a pacemaker but as she has got older Good Odds Angel has become more tenacious at the end of her races,'' owner Tracey Hurst commented later.
See you next week!
