AT just under 18 months Fernando Blaster may be youngest of the 44 greyhounds in Monday night's Taylor Family & Clarence Valley Sheds Maiden Classic heats at Grafton but he is undoubtedly among the fastest.
Born in January last year, Fernando Blaster is the only contestant with a 2017 whelping date but clockers in the NSW Northern Rivers have been singing his praises for the past two months.
From Terry Jordan's kennels at Ettrick, on the far north coast, Fernando Blaster stepped out in public for the first time at Grafton on May 28, winning a 407m performance trial by three lengths in handy time.
At his only subsequent appearance he won a 420m trial at Lismore by 13 lengths, stopping the clock at a blistering 24.12sec.
Fernando Blaster has box four in heat six tomorrow night but his trainer is not too concerned.
"There is a good run to the first turn at Grafton and he is usually a smart beginner with plenty of early speed,'' Terry Jordan said.
"Fernando Blaster is docile and clean in his kennel, is a good traveller and has a lot of ability so is close to being the ideal greyhound.
"If he can win a group race one day he will be perfect.''
Western districts trainer Dennis Barnes, who won Grafton Classic finals with Nangar Range in 2016 and with Nangar Warrior (pictured) last year, has Nangar Phantom pitted against Fernando Blaster.
"Nangar Phantom is the quickest of my family's three entries but he has box three and as he crashes left when the boxes open, he will probably help Fernando Blaster get a clear run,'' Barnes said.
"I also have Nangar Hawke in box one in heat one and while he is ideally drawn and has talent he looks to be in the toughest of the six heats.
"My son-in-law Chris Spratt trains Nangar Fever, who has drawn the rails in heat three. and while he goes okay his only chance of winning is if he jumps in front and leads clearly at the first turn.''
If Princess Zesta and My Fabio Zesta don't win their heats nobody can accuse their trainers Leanne and Geoff Grimwood of failing to give them every chance.
The Grimwoods are based at Martins Creek in the Hunter Valley, and have made four trips to Grafton to trial Princess Zesta and My Fabio Zesta, ensuring their greyhounds won't lack track know-how tomorrow night.
"It is five hours drive each-way from our place to Grafton and we have done it four times over the past few weeks, but I believe you must put in the ground work if you are going to have success,'' Geoff Grimwood said.
"Leanne's greyhound Princess Zesta has box one in heat four and she is perfectly drawn.
"Princess Zesta, a younger half sister to Tiny Zesta, who has won 21 races for us, is three or four lengths quicker than her brother, who has box eight in heat five.
"But as My Fabio Zesta likes to use a bit of the track he is suitably positioned out wide.''
Leading Grafton trainer Dave Irwin, who took out the Grafton Maiden Classic in 2005 with Tahlia Keroma, has That's Lil Bob in box four in heat one.
"That's Lil Bob has been injury prone so is short on experience but not on talent,'' Irwin said.
"He has been out of the starting boxes only twice and box four is not much help, particularly as he is up against Nangar Hawke, the Neil Staines-trained Club Double, and My Kinda Song, from Alan Pringle's kennels.''
My Kinda Song, who has box eight, stopped the clock at a near record 18.55sec in a solo performance trial over 330m at Richmond on June 20 while her kennelmate Tell Nobody, who has box two in heat two, recorded a slick 22.67sec in a 400m trial at Bulli on June 2.
Sydney trainer Jacqueline Davis, who bred group 1 Paws Of Thunder and Adelaide Cup winner Raw Ability, will be represented at Grafton by three younger full brothers to that crack sprinter.
"I have Bugatti Chiron in box seven in heat four, Bugatti Speed in six in heat five and Bugatti Reign, my most suitably drawn runner, in box two in heat six,'' Davis said.
Bugatti Chiron has plenty to live up to as he is named after what is reputedly the world's fastest car, having set a world record by reaching 400kph in 42 seconds.
Tomorrow night's six heat winners, along with the two fastest second placegetters, will contest the $14,000 to the final at Grafton on Wednesday, July 11.
