Goodwin Terry won his 10th Wentworth Park race on Saturday night but he won't be contesting the NSW heats of the National Sprint Championship at headquarters on August 5.
"The final is in Brisbane and I can't spare the time to travel interstate because to be fair to the dog, if he made the final I would have to go up there and trial him at Albion Park and then go back again for the race,'' trainer Bryan Young said on Saturday night.
"I have no regrets about not entering him, though, because I will look for easier races for him as the Championship gets under way, beginning with a 565m race at Maitland on Thursday.
"I have always dreamed about getting a greyhound like Goodwin Terry because he handles himself so well in a field and absolutely loves Wenty, and that's where the money is.''
On Saturday Goodwin Terry again displayed deft footwork to work his way into third place on the back straight, rattling home to edge out pacemaker Lini Danco by a half head in a 520m fourth grade.
Last year's Wentworth Park premiership winning trainer Dean Swain had a night to remember, landing a treble with Watch The Wasp and Midnight Francis in 520m events and with Starzsa Light over 720m.
Starzsa Light's determined win by just under a length from the Ray Smith-trained duo Midnight Treat and Big Daddy Bee was a fine pointer to her prospects in next month's National Distance Championship series.
"Because Starzsa Light fell at Wentworth Park on July 8 I brought her back there for a 520m trial last Tuesday to renew her confidence," Swain said. "She trialled 29.90 which is a hot run for a stayer so when she drew box one tonight I was pretty confident.''
Big Daddy Bee especially lost no admirers on Saturday night though as he collided with Starzsa Light when leading her narrowly going through the catching pen with just under a lap to go.
Fastest time of the night was the 30.09 posted by Christine Proctor's National Sprint Championship nomination Bekin Street, who collided at the first turn but still took out a 520m heat by just under four lengths.
Bekin Street was bred and is part-owned by 88-year-old John Meredith, of Dubbo, who raced and bred the greyhound's dam Serisier Street.
Serisier Street has had only one litter, to Bekim Bale, but won four races at WP in 2012 and '13 when trained by Meredith's son Paul.
Midnight Francis, one of Dean Swain's three winners on Saturday night, is raced by the Punters HQ Syndicate which also landed a win with Et Cetera, trained at Illabo, near Wagga, by Peter Sims.
Et Cetera, who in the past has been inclined to get a long way back in his races, began better on Saturday and after being fourth at the first turn, moved into second place at the halfway mark before winning by two lengths.
"When the dog in box one, Returned Hero, veered off the track at the first turn, he presented Et Cetera with a soft run,'' Sims said.
"The small field of seven and the fact he had an empty box on his inside also helped Et Cetera tonight.''
"Et Cetera is naturally very strong so I think the key to him is to keep him fresh between races.''
Tiggerlong Dot did not race from March 9 to June 26 but trainer Kevin Keys said the greyhound, which powered to the line to win Saturday's opening event, had not been seriously amiss.
"She did have a spell but when she returned I could not get the weight off her,'' Keys said. "She was a kilogram above her right weight so there was no point in nominating her for a race.
"It took ages to trim her down but suddenly she dropped back to her best weight and when she tipped the scales at 28.2kg tonight I knew she was ready.''
See you next week!
