Maximum Drive has been in the South Windsor kennels of Leonie and Bradley Barnes for just a month but is all the rage for Wednesday night's Ladbrokes Maiden Final after blitzing his rivals in his Wentworth Park heat.
After being fourth away and a close second on the back straight, Maximum Drive surged away to win by more than three lengths from pacemaker Num Chuck Chicki, recording a fast 30.15sec.
Maximum Drive won heat two last Wednesday, running home in an impressive 11.80sec, while heat one was taken out by Jenmar Classic, who led throughout in a much slower 30.96sec.
First four placegetters in each heat will contest Wednesday's $5000 to the winner final, with the box draw to be conducted on Monday.
After Maximum Drive's heat win Bradley Barnes, who co-trains the greyhound with his mother Leonie, said: "He had box eight tonight but I would be just as happy with the rails in the final.
"Maximum Drive's heat win was especially pleasing because the dog had not been tested over 520 metres for more than nine months.
"He clocked a smart 22.63 in a 400m stewards' trial at Richmond on July 4 at his first hit-out for me, then in a post-to-post hand-slip at WP on July 10 he clocked 24.40sec, fastest time of the night.''
Maximum Drive is owned by his former trainer Arthur Langman, who breeds greyhound puppies in converted thoroughbred racing stables on his property at Kembla Grange.
"Maximum Drive has always had a big motor but after he finished third at his initial Wentworth Park race on October 11 he had to have six stitches inserted into a cut foot,'' Langman said.
"After that work commitments with Commercial Painting, the company I own, increased sharply and I no longer had time to devote to training Maximum Drive.
"When I considered where to send him I didn't hesitate to select Bradley Barnes, because I know how well he cares for his greyhounds.
"Maximum Drive is a particularly timid dog and I knew Bradley would have the patience and kindness to bring out the best in him.''
Former policewoman Jenny Brown, now a professional greyhound trainer, prepares Jenmar Classic, the other Maiden heat winner.
"Although Jenmar Classic had been runner-up in four of her 19 races before the heats, she is quicker than her form looked on paper,'' Brown said.
"She can run fast times when I trial her over 400m at Dapto but because she has been bumped around a lot in 520m races there she tends to be hesitant when she gets the chance to push along the rails.
"Thankfully she jumped in front in her heat and led all the way, which was not a complete surprise because she had earlier broken 25sec in a post-to-post slip at Wenty.
"I bred Jenmar Classic from my bitch Stylish Jenmar, who was inclined to be a moody racer but whose two WP wins four years ago included a very fast 29.82 effort.''
My Halo, who firmed from $2.20 to $1.50 and was desperately unlucky in dead-heating for third in Jenmar Classic's heat, will be backed to beat Maximum Drive in the final.
Although having her first start, My Halo was heavily supported on the strength of a brilliant 25.19 performance trial over 450m at Maitland on June 18.
"I was pretty confident of her winning her heat because after Maitland she ran a nippy 24.60sec in a post-to-post slip at Wenty,'' trainer Wayne Attwill said.
"But My Halo bungled the start and was never out of trouble during her heat.''
Attwill trains My Halo for milkman Nick Vescio, for whom he also prepared the outstanding Rivergum Drive, a winner in blistering times of 29.73 and 29.82 at WP in 2014 and '15.
Vescio bred My Halo from his former short course specialist Cosmic Halo, a winner of 31 from 98 races for trainer Allan Ivers.
"I am rearing 22 pups and also have nine race dogs in work, including Savatag, winner of three from eight races in Tasmania, where he is considered among the most promising youngsters in training,'' Vescio said.
