Rusty Memories will give eight owners who have never previously raced a greyhound the thrill of having a finalist in a Group race when he contests Saturday night's Ladbrokes Magic Maiden at Wentworth Park.
Rusty Memories is owned by 16 members of the Punters HQ Syndicate, eight of whom are first time owners.
Syndicate manager Joe Lanutti explained that they had bought Rusty Memories from owner Danielle Pringle during the Magic Maiden series, with the dog leading throughout to win his heat before a strong finishing second in his semi-final last Wednesday night.
"Finishing second put Rusty Memories into Saturday's final and from his terrific box two draw he has a great chance, an incredible prospect for so many new owners,'' Lanutti said.
"After we bought the dog we thought it prudent to leave him with his long-time trainer David Pringle until after the Magic Maiden series concludes.''
Lanutti's Punters HQ Syndicate has been operating only since November, but already has 110 members around Australia, who, between them, race 16 greyhounds.
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Explosive Brown, repatriated to NSW from Tasmania when the greyhount racing ban was lifted, scored her second win in three appearances for trainer Ron Alcock at Dapto on Thursday night.
"She took a tumble at her first start for Ron and I, at Richmond, then won at Dapto in 30.61,'' Alcock's wife Sue said.
"It had been pouring rain and the track was heavy that night, and Explosive Brown kept leaping as she raced around the track.
"I think she was shying away from the shine on the track caused by all the water.
"Then on Thursday she led all the way but this time clocked 30.07, so Ron and I are very excited.''
Explosive Brown's time was just .15sec outside the fastest time of the meeting, an outstanding effort for a fifth grader.
Ron and Sue Alcock are household names in greyhound racing, having owned and trained the mighty Classy Spider, who was judged the 1990 NSW Greyhound of the Year.
One of the most consistently brilliant beginners of all time, Classy Spider at one stage notched 14 consecutive wins.
Among those successes were eight straight victories at Wentworth Park, an achievement which matched the previous string of consecutive wins, posted in the mid 1960s by Roman Earl, still regarded as among the sport's greats.
Explosive Brown began smartly at Dapto on Thursday, continuing the trend of quick getaways maintained by Alcock-trained greyhounds for the past 30 years.
"I work hard on their box manners when I am educating our greyhounds,'' Ron Alcock said.
"Actually Classy Spider was originally a shocking beginner but I corrected this by leaving the back door open when I placed her in the boxes and pushing her from behind at the lids lifted.''
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Speaking of brilliant beginners, how about veterans Silent Crash and Haich Two Mo, who continue to string together win after win in short course races at the provincials.
Last Thursday at Dapto Silent Crash, trained by George Micallef, took his record to 24 wins and 34 placings from 83 races when he scored over 297m.
Silent Crash, who turns four next month, has won over distances ranging from 297m to 400m.
Even more impressive is the scoreboard of the Trevor Rice-trained Haich Two Mo, a December 2012 whelping, who has compiled a tally of 38 wins and 19 placings from 86 starts.
Haich Two Mo is at his best from 280m to 400m but did "pinch'' a 520m event at Nowra in November, 2014, when in the kennels of Mick Player.
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Suffragette, born and bred in NSW, is all the rage for Thursday night's $150,000 to the winner final of the Launching Pad after posting easily fastest semi-final time at Sandown on Thursday.
Suffragette is a litter sister to crack Sydney stayer Ebby Ripper and New Sensation finalist Ebby Chance, which were retained and are trained by their breeder Michael Eberand.
"I sold Suffragette as a puppy to Melbourne media man Geoff Slattery, and she is trained for him by Kerrie and Steve White, who are former Sydneysiders,'' Eberand said.
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