Aqua Cheetah lifted his earnings to $302,000 when he got up in the last stride to win Thursday night's Group 1 Crownbet Dapto Megastar.
The Seona Thompson-trained greyhound prevailed by a neck from the JODIE Lord-trained Asa Barboza, with early leader Barking Bad a head away third.
Barking Bad was unlucky as he was checked going through the first turn and while he hit the front on the back straight, the early bump prevented him obtaining a big break.
Aqua Cheetah’s owners Ian Robertson, his wife Tia, and their friend Mark Morgan, bred the greyhound After being presented with Dalta Bale, a female greyhound from the famous Paul Wheeler breeding farm near Young.
Dalta Bale won nine races but was no world beater, winning just once at Wentworth Park and even losing in two appearances at Sydney's suburban Non-TAB track, Potts Park.
“We liked Dalta Bale's bloodlines so asked her trainer Margaret Bannerman if she would consider letting us breed from her,” Robertson recalled.
“We got Dalta Bale in exchange for a couple of pups from any litters she whelped and Aqua Cheetah is the great result we received.
“We have been blessed as Aqua Cheetah has given us a wonderful ride but when they went across the line on Thursday I thought he had been beaten. I was a few metres past the post and from my angle I thought the inside dog, Asa Barboza, had won.
“After calling up the finish on my phone I realised Aqua Cheetah had got there.”
"It was a fabulous night because although Tia, a veterinary nurse, had to work, I had our two daughters, Piper, aged 12, and Indiana, nine, with me at the track.
“Seona and Jason Thompson are wizards but I must give credit to Hunter Valley trainer Jason MACKAY, who had Aqua Cheetah throughout his Megastar campaign.
“Aqua Cheetah beat MACKAY's greyhound Riley Tokaam in a Megastar heat and finished ahead of him again in the final but Jason cared for our dog as if he was his own.”
Until Thursday the Dapto Megastar was among the few Group 1 races the all-conquering Thompson kennels had failed to win, with their dogs El Brooklyn and Proven Nitro finishing fourth and third respectively in the 2012 and 2013 finals.
Aqua Cheetah is now poised to attempt back-to-back Adelaide Cup wins, with that series scheduled for October 5 and 13.
