Bekin Street's Prospects Hit Hard In Nationals

By Jeff Collerson

Bekin Street's prospects in Friday night's National Sprint Championship have been hit hard with the Christine Proctor-trained NSW representative drawing box five.

Proctor took Bekin Street to Albion Park last Thursday and was disappointed when her brilliant youngster took 30.43sec to cover the Championship 520m course.

"When the boxes opened Bekin Street just stood there,'' Proctor said.

"His first split was awful, 6.04, and the locals tell me he should have been running around the 5.60 mark.

"Bekin Street's second split was not bad and the only encouraging aspect of the trial was that he ran home in 12.73.

"A smart greyhound from leading Queensland trainer Tony Brett's kennels won in 29.75 at Thursday night's Albion Park race meeting and he also clocked 12.73 for his run home.''

Meanwhile Ebby Ripper's trainer Michael Eberand remains upbeat about his NSW representative's chance in the National Distance Championship despite Victorian champion Fanta Bale coming up with box one in the Group 1 final.

"I am quite happy with box three for Ebby Ripper and believe she has a great chance of running down Fanta Bale,'' Eberand said.

According to Eberand Ebby Ripper is especially partial to the Albion Park 710m course, the scene of Thursday night's Distance title.

Box draw for the Group 1 National Sprint Championship is: 1. On Fire (South Australia) 2. Gunnaroo Rev (Queensland) 3. Jury (Queensland) 4. Max Profit (Western Australia) 5. Bekin Street (NSW) 6. Gold Lenny (Tasmania) 7. Bewildering (Victoria) 8. Aston Dee Bee (Victoria). Reserves: 9. Opal Nera (Queensland) 10. Slick (Queensland)

Box draw for the Group 1 National Distance Championship: 1. Fanta Bale (Victoria) 2. Bogie Bekim (South Australia) 3. Ebby Ripper (NSW) 4. Ramifications (Western Australia) 5. Shima Sun (Tasmania) 6. Big Easy Red (Queensland) 7. Burn One Down (Victoria) 8. Outside Pass (Queensland). Reserves: 9. Jalapeno (Queensland) 10. Champagne Sally (Queensland)

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Hunter Valley trainer Cliff Clark believes his unbeaten youngster Smile Good could become a better greyhound than his former Wentworth Park ace Boss Number One.

Cliff and his wife Kathy won 18 races with Boss Number One, who was a top grade sprinter at WP in 2010.

Smile Good scored his second win in as many starts at Maitland last Thursday, zipping over the 400m in a nippy 22.57.

The son of Fabregas and Clark's former smart sprinter Teenage Dream, a winner of five from 19 races, had won over the same course at his debut in 22.61.

"We also have an unraced litter brother to Smile Good called Cliff Number One who is every bit as quick but has taken more time because he is such a big dog,'' Clark said.

"These pups are just 21 months of age so won't be rushing into 520m racing for a while, but they have as much potential as Boss Number One.''

Kathy Clark said: "We have been married for 52 years and had greyhounds together for a year or so before that.

"I worked four different jobs when we got started and Cliff worked as a baker, storeman, coalminer and gardener, so we have both worked hard all our lives.

"Now we have both retired we plan to spend our days looking after and racing our small team of greyhounds.