Garry Edwards, the Nowra trainer who mentored former champion Double Twist, has a hot prospect on his hands in the shape of Panel Beater, a son of his old star.
Panel Beater was having only his second start for Edwards when he overcame early interference to win a 520m fifth grade, covering the 520m in the outstandingtime of 29.86.
Panel Beater is a January 2015 product of Collision and Double Twist, so is a litter brother to Jason Mackay's outstanding juvenile Mister Twister.
Mister Twister has won six of his seven starts with his only defeat being at the hands of his kennelmate Ando's Mac in the group one Ladbrokes Vic Peters Classic final.
Edwards, who not only prepared Double Twist but also the former track record holder and top grade sprinter More Space, has a big opinion of Panel Beater.
"He does not have as much early speed as his brother Mister Twister but I believe he has more strength at the finish,'' Edwards said.
"When he raced at Dapto last Thursday Panel Beater was having his first 520m test for six weeks, but I wasn't worried because I know this breed pretty well and they don't need a lot of work.
"Before last Thursday's race I hand-slipped Panel Beater post-to-post at Dapto and he clocked 24.20, which is outstanding But even more exceptional was his run home time of 12 seconds flat.
"Double Twist at her peak used to run home in 11.90 or 12 seconds while the best More Space ever recorded was 11.80, and that only happened once.
"I now intend to take him to a couple of provincial tracks like Nowra and Richmond to give him more experience because he has only had four starts.''
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Black Bear Lee has had to miss the Melbourne Cup due to a mishap but trainer Ruth Matic is now aiming for the time honoured Group 1 Hobart Thousand (461m) with her outstanding sprinter.
The multiple Group winner finished fifth in a Cup Prelude and is now being targeted for next month's Hobart Thousand, which offers $74, 960 to the winner.
Ruth Matic went within an ace of landing Tasmania's biggest race in 2009 when her outstanding chaser Hurricane Luke finished second to Prankster.
Hurricane Luke retired with a record of 21 wins from 45 starts while Black Bear Lee, Matic's 2016 hope, has a put together similar tally.
"I love racing at Hobart and this is a race I've always wanted to win,'' Ruth Matic said. "I had been preparing Black Bear Lee for the Melbourne Cup but he went amiss when leading in a Cup Prelude at Andown">SAndown on October 20.
"Now I'm focussing on the Tassie race with him.''
The last NSW-trained greyhound to win the Hobart Thousand was Brother Fox in 1985.
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Air Traffic, whose three wins have been over 400m at Richmond, will now begin trialling over slightly longer distances in preparation for his debut over 520m.
The greyhound's latest success on Friday night was in 22.58, the fastest time of the meeting, and trainer Tony Messina believes the dog's run home time indicates he will win over longer journeys.
"The only reason I have been holding him back was because of his youth - he was born in February last year,'' Messina said.
"Air Traffic is a real home grown product as my wife Wilma and I owned and trained his dam, Magic Moves, who won 12 races and was a Wentworth Park winner, and also her mother, Kristen Alyssa. who also numbered Wenty wins among her eight successes.
"Air Traffic is by Swift Fancy and is from Magic Moves' first litter, four of which have raced and all have won.''
The win by Air Traffic was timely as earlier the Messina family had a scare when a bushfire tore through their Llandilo neighbourhood.
"The fire was raging at the end of our street so it was a bit scary but fortunately the wind kept going in the right direction for us,'' Messina said.
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