Ritza Millie, Finale, Sound Advice and Zipping Mitzy ran outstanding trials for next Saturday night's Bulli heats of the GRNSW + Ladbrokes Million Dollar Chase with impressive wins at the Slacky Flat circuit on Saturday.
And while she finished fifth to Sound Advice, big track specialist Burning Fuel lost no admirers from a Million Dollar Chase viewpoint as she was never out of trouble.
But with Saturday's Chase heats being over the 515m trip Ritza Millie captured the limelight with her all-the-way win over that journey in a slick 28.72sec.
Those figures were well outside El Magnifico's track record of 28.27 but last Saturday's times were affected to some extent by the extremely windy conditions.
Before the race Ritza Millie's trainer Mark Gatt declared "this race looks ideal for her'' and his greyhound did not let him down, making full use of her favourable box one draw to take her record to four wins from as many appearances wearing the red rug.
Finale, Sound Advice and Zipping Mitzy were successful on Saturday over the shorter 472m course but the 515m of the Million Dollar Chase heats will hold no fears for them.
Each has won over 520m at Wentworth Park, the venue for the $1 million to the winner grand final on October 20.
At Bulli, Finale, exiting box one for the first time, finished strongly to beat early leader Zipping Buddy by two lengths in 26.28sec, best 472m time of the night.
Sound Advice, another good railer, led throughout from box two to score by more than six lengths in 26.35 and Zipping Mitzy came from midfield to win in 26.45.
Zipping Mitzy's win was her fifth in five outings at Bulli while Sound Advice has now won two from four Bulli 472m appearances.
Burning Fuel was hot favourite for Sound Advice's race after having won 12 of her previous 17 starts but she lost all chance at the first turn.
After dwelling on box rise, Burning Fuel showed her usual brilliant pace but was caught on the outside of the wide running Wicked Quality on the corner and was pushed out of contention.
Club Double may also have earned a shot at the Million Dollar Chase heats after his easy win, albeit in a moderate fifth grade event, over 472m in 26.42.
Club Double was stepping out beyond 407m for the first time but prior to the race trainer Neil Staines said: "The 472m will definitely suit him better than the shorter distances over which he has been racing.''
Staines' two-year-old youngster began cleanly and took the lead at the first turn before going to the line strongly for a runaway win.
Although Club Double, winner of four of just five races, will be conceding a lot in terms of experience to his rivals, the rewards for the Million Dollar Chase series are likely to prove too tempting for Staines to ignore.
In other action on Saturday night at Bulli Lochinvar Hugo ran down Bekin Street to win over 590m in 33.41, .30sec outside his personal best figures for that course.
The win took Lochinvar Hugo's tally to a remarkable 28 wins from 44 starts but trainer Robert Smith is convinced that his outstanding middle distance performer's future now is over longer journeys.
See you next week!
