Royal Turbo, who disappointed trainer Glen McKinley at his most recent Wentworth Park start, is on track for the upcoming National Sprint Championship series after a smart trial at Gosford last Tuesday night.
Royal Turbo, who is being prepared for the August 5 heats of the Championship at Wentworth Park, zipped over the 400m in a slick 22.80.
"He made the pace but did not get to the line well and was beaten nearly 10 lengths when he finished third to Riley Tokaam at Wenty on July 1 so I gave him a couple of weeks off and freshened him up,'' McKinley said. "The National Sprint Championship is a tall order but Royal Turbo deserves a crack at it.''
McKinley's greyhound has had eight wins and eight placings from two dozen Wentworth Park races and his personal best time at headquarters, 29.77, puts him in the picture for next month's Championship heats.
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Rockstar Toovey, named after a neighbour of owner-trainer Shaun Evans, looks to have a big future after notching his third win in four starts last Thursday night at Dapto.
Evans rates the 22 month old son of Dyna Lachlan and Emilia Jade as the most improved greyhound in his kennels following the youngster's latest sizzling 29.90 all-the-way victory.
"He has been a real surprise packet,'' Evans said. "When he was educated Rockstar Toovey was pretty average, and Stratus">Rockstar Stratus">Stratus, who is the same age as him and has won two from four races for me, would always 'towel him up' when I trialled them together.
"Those early trials were over 400m, though and Rockstar Toovey has not only got better with age but has improved over the slightly longer distances.
"Everyone thinks he is named after the famous former Manly Sea Eagles footballer Geoff Toovey but I called him after a local fellow named Danny Toovey.
"I'm not in a hurry to bring Rockstar Toovey or Stratus to town as I want to take them through their grades at the provincials.''
Rockstar Toovey is bred to be good as while his dam Emilia Jade won only three from 14 races for Evans. she is a daughter of the great producer, the late Paris St Germain.
The progeny of that champion greyhound includes St Pierre, whose 23 wins included the 2011 Australian Cup, Nitro Nori, winner of 20 from 55 starts, Slick Rick (eight wins from 18 races), Streetbike Tommy (16 from 57) and Uncle Bully (17 wins from 59 outings).
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Just 48 hours after rising five-year-old Targaryen scored his best win to take out Wednesday night's top grade sprint at Wentworth Park, another veteran, Hail Storming, posted his fifth win from his past six starts at LADBROKES GARDENS.
Hail Storming, a February 2013 whelping, scored over 400m to lift his total tally to 25 wins and 20 placings from 66 starts.
"He has been a marvellous old dog and won a dozen top class races in Victoria during a stint down there,'' Noel Trowbridge. whose wife Fay trains Hail Storming said.
"Hail Storming will be restricted to short course events at LADBROKES GARDENS, Gosford and Richmond from now on, but the reason he has been winning so often is that he has been jumping away fast.
"He is a son of our wonderful producer Hail Queenie, who produced Our Real Deal, winner of five of his past 11 starts and who won at Warragul last Tuesday, from her following litter.
"Gentle Giant, a 39kg dog from Hail Queenie's latest litter, has won four of his seven starts.''
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Pride Of Charlie continues to burn up the country tracks for trainer Peter Sims so should be seen at Wentworth Park shortly.
After winning over 525m at Wagga in a fast 30.42 on July 7, Pride Of Charlie went even quicker there on Friday, scoring over the same trip in 30.10.
That time was a mere .03 outside the track record set by Chilly Babe in October 2013.
