Trainer Jason MACKAY's bold move in by-passing Friday's heats of the Group 2 Richmond Derby to concentrate on Wentworth Park with Zipping Clive paid dividends with his greyhound winning brilliantly at headquarters on Saturday night.
Zipping Clive posted a fastest time of the meeting 29.72 in taking out a star-studded Free-For-All by one and a half lengths from the much improved Rohan Hill, with early leader Poppa Ogg just under a length away third.
Before Saturday's race MACKAY said: "Zipping Clive has only had 14 races and I didn't want to throw him in against the top liners from NSW, Victoria and Queensland in the Richmond Derby.
"I decided to keep him at Wentworth Park to give him added experience there before the Golden Easter Egg heats on March 17.''
Zipping Clive, who tended to run wide early in his career, has become more tractable with racing and handled the rails draw superbly on Saturday.
Saturday's second fastest time was posted by the consistent Ancient Secret, trained in suburban Girraween by 81-year-old Paul Bigeni.
Ancient Secret led throughout and broke the 30sec barrier for the first time, stopping the clock at 29.83.
Bigeni, who has been a trainer for over 50 years, said: "Ancient Secret is improving all the time.
"He has been showing good early pace in his recent races and is racing more keenly than ever.
"I bought Ancient Secret from Falcon's Fury's owner-trainer Paul Braddon and although the dog had been mainly a short course greyhound when I got him, Braddon assured me he would run 520 metres at Wentworth Park.''
Being drawn in race one made all the difference to Styles, who won the opening event for trainer Dean Swain.
Styles, who had been placed at his only two previous WP starts, led throughout to win by over two lengths in a nippy 30.13.
"He is a bad kennel dog who is totally 'over the top' and being in the first race was a big bonus for him,'' Swain said.
Blazin' Savannah's impressive win at her 720m debut in heat one of the Ladbrokes Monthly Medal did not surprise Carole Eaton, whose husband Jeff owns and trains the greyhound.
Few are able to score so impressively at their first staying test but Blazin' Savannah went to the line strongly and clocked 42.60sec, while the other heat winner, Odnoc To Wingala, took 42.92.
"Blazin' Savannah had won over 600m at Gosford before Saturday night and she has been coming home like a train in middle distance races,'' Carole Eaton said.
"And when she finished a distant second to the unbeaten Time Lord over 565m in near record time at Maitland on February 27, Blazin' Savannah was alongside him by the time they reached the catching pen.
"Only reason Jeff and I had not put Blazin' Savannah over 720m before tonight was because she was too young.
"She only turned two in November and we didn't want to rush her but last week we decided she was ready to step up in distance.''
See you next week!
