Another outstanding sub-30 second win by Falcon's Fury has trainer Paul Braddon set to target next Saturday night's heats of the Group 1 Paws Of Thunder with his 22-month-old rising star.
Falcon's Fury retained his unbeaten Wentworth Park record with his best performance on Saturday night, leading throughout to win a 520m fourth grade in 29.76.
Braddon had intended saving Falcon's Fury for the Group 1 National Derby heats on January 28, but the dog's latest win has prompted the Cowra trainer to aim for a Thunder/Derby double.
Falcon's Fury's trounced a hot line-up, including Patch Adam, Lowanna's Son, Nangar Thunder and Another Gangsta, on Saturday night.
The merit of Falcon's Fury's win can be gauged by the fact that El Magnifico, a leading Paws Of Thunder candidate,had a clear run in a third and fourth grade but took 30.00 to win.
Outstanding Melbourne greyhound Shima Song, who usually comes from midfield to win her races, led throughout but could not better 30.09.
Tod Tanga also earned a tilt at the Paws Of Thunder heats by scoring his fourth successive Wentworth Park win in a 520m fourth grade on Saturday night.
Tod Tanga took 30.42 to win but staged a remarkable performance as he was checked approaching the home turn and had to come from fourth at the top of the straight to score.
Trained at Muswellbrook by Maureen "Billie'' Sharman, Tod Tanga is a March 2014 whelping, so it too old for the Derby.
"He will be in the Paws Of Thunder heats now,'' Maureen's husband Eric, who handled the dog, said on Saturday night.
"We will take Tod Tanga to our local straight track and give him a 280 metre hit-out on Tuesday.
"When he is not racing midweek that is his normal preparation. We certainly won't be changing anything just because he is in a Group 1 race next Saturday.''
Trainer Craig Chappelow will nominate Cosmical for the National Derby heats on January 28 following the youngster's second Wentworth Park win in a 520m fifth grade on Saturday night.
Cosmical led all the way to win in 30.51 at his Wentworth Park debut on December 28 and produced a repeat effort to score in 30.33 on Saturday.
"Because he has good early pace Cosmical deserves a shot at the Derby,'' Chappelow said.
"Realistically he is not up to the class of some of the outstanding dogs who will be in the series, but if he makes the pace, as he is capable of doing, anything can happen.
"Cosmical is a handy front runner but obviously if a top notcher happened to sit on his tail he would probably get run down.''
Dean Swain, who took out the 2016 Wentworth Park Trainers' Premiership, started 2017 with a bang by taking out Saturday night's $9000 to the winner Ladbrokes Monthly Medal final with Starzsa Light.
Having only her second 720m test, Starzsa Light trailed kennelmate and sister Starzsa Smiling in the early stages but took the lead on the back straight.
She then drew away to win by three-and-a-half lengths, comfortably holding off a late surge by Ebby Ripper.
See you next week!
