Nearly two years after a horrific accident which almost cost him his life, trainer Gary Kimber is hoping Corleone Kid, the greyhound which gave him the incentive to overcome his multiple injuries, can take out tonight's Temora Cup final.
Corleone Kid, bred by the Young-based Kimber, qualified for the $10,000 to the winner Cup by dead-heating with hot favourite Gunshot Ridge in her heat last week.
Corleone Kid turns four in May but his career was put on hold until midway through last year after Kimber had been hospitalised for nearly eight months.
"In May 2016 I was about to drive into my property when another car smashed into me and I was left with legs, ankles and arms broken, smashed ribs, and a brain injury,'' Kimber said.
"I spent over 230 days in Westmead Hospital and all that kept me going was being able to one day take Corleone Kid to the races.
"Her kennel name is Ingrid, after my daughter, and because of that I had decided against selling her at the Richmond Puppy Auction.
"While I was in hospital my partner Vicki, a horse enthusiast who knew nothing about greyhounds, took over and looked after my dogs for almost eight months.''
Fastest qualifier for today's Cup final is Millionaire Max, trained at Bathurst by John Buttsworth.
Millionaire Max jumped in front in his heat but after being headed by the Victorian Scott Pizzazz, he came again to win, covering the 457m in 26.06.
"Millionaire Max had broken the Temora record in posting 25.61 a week before the Cup heats so he loves the track,'' Buttsworth said.
"I was shocked to see Scott Pizzazz head him after Millionaire Max jumped in front but then discovered that greyhound had recorded 7.66sec, fastest first split ever run at Temora.
"But I wanted box eight for Millionaire Max in the final so box four is no help.''
Scott Pizzazz, a tiny 26kg female, was a recent gift to owner-trainer Julie Ward.
"She is badly drawn out in box six but might still improve because she had never seen Temora before the heats,'' Ward said.
"My kennels are near Shepparton and as it is a five hours drive to Temora it was too far to contemplate going there just for a trial.
"I have been training for only three years but was born into the sport as my father Captain Abbott, who is still training dogs at 77 years of age, won the 1974 Melbourne Cup with Kwik Metal.''
Gunshot Ridge, who dead-heated with Corleone Kid in 26.20, can go faster according to his connections.
Jack Roy, whose wife Lorraine trains Gunshot Ridge said: "He did not get to the line as well as we expected in his heat.
"We were a bit disappointed with his run but he has trialled 26.09 at Temora so can improve, although we would have preferred box eight to box two.''
The other heat winners were Nitro Blast (26.20), who has box eight in the final, Wighton (26.25, box three) and Hammer Head, (26.44, box five).
Nitro Blast has won six of his past nine races for western districts trainer Craig Tuntler while the much-travelled Wighton was a Wentworth Park winner for Tahmoor-based Shane Pulbrook.
Temora is among the sport's success stories as the transformation of the track from grass to a loam surface was achieved by local volunteers working for 2500 hours over six weeks in mid-2013.
Although Temora rarely receives Sky Racing and TAB coverage, the Riverina course has always been highly regarded by the sport's insiders.
Zoom Top, widely regarded as Australia's all-time champion greyhound, made two track record breaking appearances over 500 yards (457m) at Temora.
She clocked 26.60 on the old grass track in 1967 and three years later broke her own record with a 26.50 performance over the same distance.
Box draw for the Temora Cup, which gets under way at 8.21 tonight:
1 Charlie's Chance
2 Gunshot Ridge
3 Wighton
4 Millionaire Max
5 Hammer Head
6 Scott Pizzazz
7 Corleone Kid
8 Nitro Blast
Reserves
9 Bacardi Breezer
10 Tat Toby
