Royal Turbo vindicated his trainer's belief that he thrived on hard work by taking out Saturday night's top grade Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park race while contesting his third race in a week.
Trainer Glen McKinley had no qualms about nominating Royal Turbo for Saturday's Free For All race despite the greyhound having finished fourth in a similar race at Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park a week earlier and being just behind the placegetters in a Woy Woy Poultry Gold Cup heat at Gosford last Tuesday.
On Saturday Royal Turbo, making full use of his rails draw, led throughout and just lasted to win by a head from Rohan Hill, taking his Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park tally to 11 wins and 13 placings from 41 starts.
"This dog just loves racing and if I ease up on him he does not perform as well, so while he is fit and well he needs to be raced," McKinley said later.
Royal Turbo's win on Saturday lifted his earnings to more than $107,00 and the greyhound, who turns three this month, will go around again at Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park on Wednesday night.
Trainer Neil Staines plans to test Bogan Doonie over a middle distance following the greyhound's remarkable last-to-first performance over 520m at Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Bogan Doonie again bungled the start but weaved her way through the field to take out a 520m fifth grade in a nippy 30.11.
After being fifth on the back straight and second turning for home, she surged away in the straight to win easily from pacemakers Lagoon Wilks and Fascinate Jasper.
"She has always been among the fastest, if not the quickest, greyhound in my kennels, but the way she races makes Bogan Donnie something of a problem child," Staines said.
"I think I am going to have to step her up in distance, and if she is not successful I can always drop her back to 520m racing."
Fastest 520m time on Saturday was posted by the Simon Rhodes-trained Dyna Orenthal, whose improved box manners gave him his second straight Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park win.
Formerly a mediocre beginner, Dyna Orenthal jumped in front and wasn't headed in his fourth grade race, blitzing a handy lineup by seven lengths in 30.03.
Dyna Orenthal is owned by Brendan Wheeler, son of Australia's most successful owner-breeder Paul Wheeler.
"Brendan had a good offer for Dyna Orenthal a few weeks back and was happy to sell the dog but, to his credit, he asked me if I would prefer to hang on to the greyhound," Rhodes said.
"When I told him that I had a high opinion of Dyna Orenthal and that I would prefer to keep training the dog, Brendan declared that he would refuse the would be buyer's bid."
Next Saturday night's final of the 720m Ladbrokes Monthly Medal promises to be a thriller with Zipping Floyd and Bolt Like Bekim scoring impressive wins in last Saturday's heats.
Zipping Floyd, having his first long-distance test, won by over 17 lengths in 42.68 while Bolt Like Bekim scored by more than four lengths in 42.77.
The draw for the final could be crucial as Zipping Floyd, in particular, relishes an inside box.
Aston Duke produced an impressive trial on the eve of the Ladbrokes National Derby heats with a comfortable all-the-way win in 30.13 on Saturday while his kennelmate Zipping Potter scored his fifth win in six races at his Wentworth-park">Wentworth">Wentworth Park debut, clocking 30.30.
Both are trained by Jason Mackay but while Zipping Potter is a month too old for the Derby series, Aston Duke is the perfect age for the classic heats at Wentworth on January 27.
See you next week!
