Lenny">Ritza Lenny">Lenny reached the semi-finals of the Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg in 2017 but indicated he is on target to go one better this year by defeating an outstanding lineup of 2018 contenders at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
The Mark Gatt-trained greyhound bungled the start from box eight and finished fifth in an Egg semi-final last year but proved he is in career best form on Saturday.
Last month's Bulli Gold Cup winner came from third on the back straight and second on the home turn to beat Cosmic Bonus and Lucky Chap in a tight finish.
Lenny">Ritza Lenny">Lenny covered the 520m in 29.99, while his kennelmate Rita's Boy gave team Gatt a winning double with a best time of the night 29.82 performance in the final event.
"Lenny's win tonight was outstanding because he was trapped outside the wide running Lucky Chap on the first bend,'' kennel foreman Daniel Gatt, the trainer's brother, said.
"Lenny">Ritza Lenny was carted off the track at that point so it was a good effort to come again and win against such a strong field.
"We had not been disappointed with his fifth in the Richmond Derby final at his previous start because Lenny">Ritza Lenny was never out of trouble in that race.''
Trainer DEAN Swain also had a successful meeting on Saturday night, dead-heating with Techno in a 720m race and landing a winning 520m double with Big Bender in 30.21 and with the much improved Styles, who led throughout in 29.94.
"That win by Styles has earned him a crack at the 520m New Sensation heats at Wentworth Park on March 21,'' Swain said.
"But unfortunately Big Bender is just over a fortnight too old for that event.''
Until recently the former Tasmanian Styles was inclined to struggle at the end of 520m but on Saturday went to the line resolutely to comfortably defeat a pair of strong finishers in Flyrite and Ritza Rossi, who had the drop on him from box rise.
The New Sensation is for greyhounds whelped on or after November 17, 2015, providing they have won no more than 10 races and competed no more than 20 times.
First staged in 2013, it was taken out by the DEAN Swain-trained Tilly's Boy in 2016.
Another New Sensation candidate after Saturday's Wentworth Park card is the John Finn-trained Winsome Money, who led throughout in a 520m fifth grade in a slick 29.84.
"Winsome Money tends to play up in the kennels so being in an early event, race two, helped him tonight,'' Finn said later.
"And he was suited drawn out wide in box six because Winsome Money likes to use a bit of the track.''
Zinkey's excellent box manners have earned her a nomination in next Saturday's Easter Egg heats.
The Lindsay Davis-trained greyhound has jumped in front at her past five Wentworth Park starts and on Saturday "came out running'' from box eight in a 520m fourth grade.
She led throughout to win by over four lengths from Rhythm Section and Neeky's Boy, posting smart early splits of 5.47 and 13.95 before covering the trip in 30.11.
"Zinkey just gets out and goes here,'' her jubilant trainer Davis said after the race.
See you next week!
