Cowra trainers Paul and Pam Braddon have three finalists in Friday's Ladbrokes Dubbo Cup, among them the 2017 winner Falcon's Fury, as they chase their third straight success in the Dawson Park circuit's biggest race.
Falcon's Fury was sent out a $1.40 favourite to win last year after winning his heat in near record time of 29.35 and came from box eight to run down Almost Black in 29.86 in the final.
In last Friday's heats Paul Braddon's Falcon's Fury was second to the home bend but finished powerfully to win running away in 29.52.
The Ray Smith-trained Little Digger, who surprised by jumping in front and leading throughout last week, clocked identical time.
Forbes-based Smith and the Braddons have long been keen rivals at Dubbo as when the Braddon-trained All A Blaze won the Cup final in 2016, Smith's Brad Hill Billy had been hot favourite and finished second.
Brad Hill Billy remains the record holder for Dubbo's 516m trip, having posted an unequalled 29.30 in defeating All A Blaze in his 2016 Cup heat.
Brad Hill Billy then chased home the Braddon greyhound in the final.
This Friday the Braddons will be represented by Falcon's Fury, Pam's bitch Spring Jazz, who chased home that kennelmate in her heat, and Ferrero Miss, who qualified for Paul by finishing third to Little Digger and Dolly Street in her heat.
"We are hoping for an outside box with Falcon's Fury and would like to see Spring Jazz get a better draw because she never seems to have much luck with boxes,'' Pam Braddon said.
Paul Braddon conceded Little Digger was going to be hard to beat in the final.
"He has always been a good dog everywhere but Dubbo seems to be his best track because he has won each of his three races there,'' Paul Braddon said.
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Metallic Flash completed a big Friday night at Dubbo for the Braddon family when he overcame a moderate start to win a heat of the western distict circuit's other important race, the Peg & Bill Miller Memorial.
Trained by Paul Braddon, Metallic Flash made full use of his wide draw to win in 30.01 for the 516m, with David Pringle's Midnight Starlet qualifying in 30.07 and the Dennis Barnes-trained
Nangar Gift setting the time standard with a 29.86 heat win.
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Coalminer turned greyhound trainer Andrew Bell enjoyed his most successful night in the sport when landing four winners at LADBROKES GARDENS last Saturday three as a trainer and another as an owner.
Bell-trained winners were Snooker DAVE, who led throughout over 515m in a smart 29.59, Lektra Fella (29.88) and Bianca Keeping, who won a 400m sprint in 23.28.
And Bell owns Five Eight Dall, who won a 400m race for trainer Allan Ivers.
Until recently a hobby trainer at Boggabri, Bell, 47, has 20 greyhounds in training on his property at Werombi.
"I worked 25 years in the mines and woke up one morning deciding to give that away and return to training greyhounds, which I had done as a kid,'' Bell said.
"It is now a real family affair, with my partner Debbie and our six children pitching in morning and night to cover every aspect of looking after the dogs.''
"The 515m at LADBROKES GARDENS is a lot easier than the 520m at Wenty and at this stage I'm not certain how strong she is going to be,'' Bell said.
"I bought Bianca Keeping from Dubbo breeder Shayne Stiff, who helped me out when I first came to Werombi by presenting me with three free greyhounds who have won about $10,000 between them for us.
"The best of them, Cedar Jacob, won at Richmond on April 13.''
