Thursday night's Queensland Derby win by Two Times Twice gave NSW its second success in the Group 2 Albion Park classic in the past three years.
Trained by the "old master'' John Finn, Two Times Twice made full use of his box eight draw, sweeping around his rivals after being third at the first turn and fourth on the back straight to win easily in 30.05.
Rather Dapper, trained in Queensland by John McCarthy, won the 2017 final in 29.98 while Sydney-owned and NSW Northern Rivers trained France Soir was successful in 2016, covering the 520m in 30.08.
Fastest time in recent years was the 29.70 posted by Dyna Villa in 2015, who was trained in Victoria by Andrea Dailly but owned in NSW by Paul Wheeler.
In Thursday's Derby, Two Times Twice's kennelmate Blue Moon Rising finished fourth while favourite Rev Fred Floy, also from NSW, finished sixth but was desperately unlucky.
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Rob Tyler's achievement in landing four of the 10 winners at Maitland last Tuesday must surely rank as among the top training performances of recent years.
Tyler, who has only 12 greyhounds in his kennels, won 400m races with Zipping Clare in 22.59 and with Sashay (22.67), Little Juzzy (22.75) and Modus Operandi in 23.03.
Not only that, but his three starters in the opening race, for maidens, filled the placings when Zipping Clare defeated their kennelmates Zipping Luke and Sheyna.
"Zipping Clare and Zipping Luke are new acquisitions for me, they are owned by Marty and Fiona Hallinan,'' Tyler said.
"I had previously trained Zipping Kelly for the Hallinans and won two from two with that greyhound before she was sold.
"Zipping Luke is faster than Zipping Clare but he was 'wiped out' by interference in the early stages and did well to finish second.
"I took over training Modus Operandi five weeks ago and the Maitland race was his first start for me.
"One does not often see a dog come from so far back to win over 400m at Maitland as Modus Operandi did and he is not really a short course greyhound.
"Modus Operandi is better suited on a two turn track like Wentworth Park, and over 500 metres or more.
"Little Juzzy is also crying out now for a 520 metre race because he has lost a fraction of his early speed.
"He trialled 22.50 over 400m at Richmond before winning twice in fast time over 365m at Nowra and then he won last week's Maitland sprint.
"I intend nominating Little Juzzy for a Wenty 520m fifth grade now.''
Little Juzzy, formerly trained in Victoria, has now had four starts for Tyler for three wins and a second.
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Eleanor Rascal won in smart time at Wentworth Park for Syd Swain last month but the western districts trainer rates that greyhound's litter sister Secretly Hot, who is racing at headquarters on Wednesday night, as superior.
Secretly Hot is fastest qualifier for the 520m Bathurst To Wenty Final, after leading throughout to win her 520m heat last Monday in a brilliant 30.09.
"Eleanor Rascal won in 30.29 at Wentworth Park on March 28 but her future is over longer distances and her sister Secretly Hot is far quicker,'' Swain said.
"Secretly Hot broke down when unplaced at her only Wentworth Park start on February 17 but she is very talented.
"When she won her first race, over 535m at Richmond on January 12, she clocked 30.50, one of the fastest maiden wins ever.
"And it was no fluke because Secretly Hot has trialled 30.46 there as an unraced youngster.
"I'm not too concerned about where she draws on Wednesday because she is a good beginner.''
