Miss Splendamiro gave trainer Hank Vanderburg his second Evans & Son Jewellers Ladies Bracelet success when she gave the mighty Up Hill Jill a start and a beating in Saturday night's Group 3 final at Wentworth Park.
Up Hill Jill led approaching the first turn but Miss Splendamiro swept around the Victorian crackerjack to hit the front rounding the corner.
From that point the Bracelet was a one-act affair, with Miss Splendamiro winning by four lengths from Up Hill Jill, while fastest heat winner Ella Enchanted came from a long way back to finish third, just over three lengths away.
The winner covered the 520m in 29.58, second fastest time in the history of the race and just .14sec outside Zipping Willow's race record set in 2014.
Vanderburg won the Ladies Bracelet in 1997 with Oriana but said on Saturday night: "Miss Splendamiro is a much quicker greyhound.
"I would have been happy to see Miss Splendamiro sitting on Up Hill Jill's tail going down the back straight.
"So when Miss Splendamiro hit the front rounding the first turn that was a bonus and because she is strong they were never going to run her down.
"I don't usually back my greyhounds when they are in big prizemoney finals but I had a bet on her tonight because I thought Miss Splendamiro was over the odds at $3.70.''
Up Hill Jill lost no admirers with her gallant second while Mark Alati, owner of Ella Enchanted said: "No excuses as my greyhound jumped well but was outpaced early and looks like she will make a stayer.''
Training honours for Saturday rested squarely with John Finn, who not only landed a winning double but secured two quinellas with four members of the same litter.
Finn's Queensland Derby winner Two Times Twice led throughout from box two to win a third and fourth grade 520m race by a big space from his litter sister and kennelmate Poco Dorado in a fast 29.68.
Blue Moon Rising had taken out the opening event for Finn, holding out a late burst by his litter brother and kennelmate Veloce Nero to score in 30.02.
Finn's quartet, siblings by Fernando Bale from Chica Destacada, now head out west for Friday night's heats of the Richmond Riches.
The trainer by-passed Saturday night's Ladbrokes Monthly Medal heats to concentrate on the Richmond event, which is worth $40,000 to the winner.
Ella Enchanted's trainer Darren Sultana had to be content with third placing in the Ladies Bracelet with that greyhound, but he had plenty to smile about after Black Forge's impressive debut win at Wentworth Park on Saturday.
Black Forge began only fairly from box eight but dashed around his rivals to lead clearly at the first turn before winning a Monthly Medal heat by four lengths in a brilliant 29.87.
Catch Me Curly won another heat for trainer Jason Magri in identical time with the quickest of the Monthly Medal qualifying races being taken out by Ritza Lenny in 29.79.
Ritza Lenny was sent out a long odds-on favourite as he looked a graded certainty and duly won by five lengths, taking his Wentworth Park tally to 14 wins from 29 starts.
See you next week!
