Riley Tokaam won't be allowed to rest on his laurels despite his barnstorming win in Saturday night's Group 3 Christmas Gift final at Wentworth Park.
Trainer Jason MACKAY intends nominating the greyhound for next Saturday's Wentworth Park fixture before sending him around again in the heats of the Group 2 Woy Woy Poultry Gold Cup at Gosford on Boxing Night.
"Every dog is different and Riley Tokaam is one of those that absolutely thrives on hard work,'' MACKAY said.
"He runs all day at home and if I try to keep him cooped up he gets too full of nervous energy.
"Gosford is probably not his type of track but he deserves his chance in a race like the Cup.''
On Saturday night Riley Tokaam was checked early and after being a distant fourth on the back straight, he swept around Bombshell Bandit, Barking Bad and Black Hole Sun on the home turn to hit the front half way down the straight.
He went to the line powerfully to win by four lengths from Black Hole Sun with Bombshell Bandit hanging on for the minor prizemoney, a head away third.
Riley Tokaam's win lifted his earnings to nearly $116,000, not bad going for a greyhound who does not turn three until March.
Also heading for the Gosford Cup is Canya Ayden, who led throughout to win a 520m fourth and fifth grade on Saturday night by more than six lengths, clocking a fast 30.06.
After the race owner-trainer Glen McKinley, who bought the dog earlier this year for only $3500, said: "Canya Ayden loves the Gosford track so the Cup there is the perfect race for him.
"I will also enter Wait There for the Cup, because his third placing to Goldstein at Wenty tonight was a tip top effort.
"Wait There had box two tonight but is a much better dog when he draws wide and he led when second to Canya Ayden at Gosford early this month.''
Good Odds Bricky was not quite at his top but had "enough" on his rivals to score a runaway win in Saturday night's only 720m race.
The Frank Hurst-trained greyhound led throughout from box two to win by six lengths in 42.85.
Before the race Hurst said: "Good Odds Bricky had a little problem after he finished down the course in a Summer Cup heat at Wentworth Park on December 2 and had only a couple of 535m trials at Richmond to prepare him for tonight.
"He will not be capable of reproducing his fastest Wentworth Park time of 42.40 but he should have no trouble running around the 42.80 mark.''
Hurst's judgment was spot on, with Good Odds Bricky notching his 20th win.
Tim Caines, whose partner Kerryn O'Sullivan owns and trains Centrico, attributed the dog's surge in form to "confidence.''
Centrico was third from the first bend to the home turn before running down Mainline Osti and Zambora Cross to win a 520m fifth grade on Saturday.
"He won at Dapto on Thursday night and Kerryn and I had no qualms about backing Centrico up tonight,'' Caines said.
"The dog is racing with so much confidence at the moment, and that is a very important factor in greyhound racing.''
See you next week!
