The 66th running of the Group 1 Peter Mosman Classic has been run and won at Wentworth Park, so it is fitting that Pat Parrelli has a finalist in tomorrow night's Ladbrokes Monthly Medal Maiden Stakes at Gosford.
Parrelli, who won the 2009 Peter Mosman Classic final with Devine Road, has Devine Rite in the Gosford final.
And while that greyhound's winning time of 30.52 was the slowest of the four heats, Devine Rite's performance was outstanding.
After being last away from box eight, Devine Rite went fast around the field only to be hampered at the first turn. But he sustained his run and took the lead soon after before coming away to win by just over two lengths.
“Devine Rite had not even trialled at Gosford before the heats so he should have some improvement in him,” Parrelli said.
“I have always had an opinion of him and launched his career at Wentworth Park and then took him all the way to Albion Park, Brisbane, for a race. But he had no luck in either assignment and while he is still learning to race he has ability.
“Unfortunately I did not have any greyhound up to the standard to be a runner in this year's Peter Mosman.”
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Peter Mattress, who bought the Peter Mosman Classic winner Mister Twister but then sold the crack sprinter a the Richmond Puppy Auction, landed a well earned first Wentworth Park double last Wednesday night with Tifi">Wild Tifi">Tifi and Fascinate Jasper.
Mattress, a retired businessman, took up training greyhounds 18 months ago and paid $10,000 for Mister Twister as a small puppy.
“But then I submitted him into the Richmond Auction and when the bidding reached $21,000 I let him go,” Mattress said.
“I've no regrets though because around the same time I also bought Tifi">Wild Tifi">Tifi for $2500 and he was one of my Wenty winners last week.”
Mattress bought Tifi">Wild Tifi">Tifi from breeder Jason Lymbery as a youngster because he was a son of Tifi">Saint Tifi">Tifi, a sister of Mister Twister's dam Double Twist.
“Tifi">Wild Tifi">Tifi was no great shakes early in his career but improved by about five tenths of a second all of a sudden,” Mattress said.
“And Fascinate Jasper, which I bought from Magic Spring's breeder-trainer Noelene Holloway, has now won twice at Wentworth Park for me.”
The greyhounds’ wins completed a big week for Mattress as he won a heat of the Ladbrokes Monthly Medal Maiden Stakes at Gosford last Tuesday night with Residual.
Residual, who led throughout to win his heat in 30.30, will contest tomorrow night's final.
“I paid $6000 for Residual when he was a five months old puppy,” Mattress said.
“He has always been able to run fast times in solo trials up the straight but until last week had not put it all together around the circle.”
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Zipping Vixen, bought primarily for breeding purposes, scored a solid win over 720m at Wentworth Park last Wednesday night.
Breeding enthusiast Fred Anthes, who also paid a similar amount for Aisle Tifi, now a winner of ten races at Wentworth Park, bought Zipping Vixen because she was a daughter of former crack stayer Lady Arko.
Zipping Vixen has won six races for trainer Owen Langley, having now been successful over both the 520m and 720m journeys.
“She is neither a true sprinter or a real stayer,” Langley said.
“Zipping Vixen doesn't have the early pace to be a really good 520m greyhound and doesn't have the strength to run out a powerful 720m.
“Ideally she is a middle distance greyhound but those races begin on bends and Zipping Vixen doesn't like bend starts.”
