Federal Lilly, fastest qualifier for the Ladbrokes Young Star, will return to crack Victorian trainer Robert Britton's kennels after Saturday night's $25,000 to the winner final at Wentworth Park.
Federal Lilly had won five of 22 races for Britton before being sent to part-owner Graeme Duggan's Kangy Angy kennels, on the Central Coast, for the Young Star series.
Morgan Benjes, who shares ownership in Federal Lilly with Duggan, said after the greyhound's impressive 30.10sec heat win last Wednesday night: "At one stage Robert Britton was considering nominating her for the Million Dollar Chase but eventually decided that might be a bit beyond her.
"He suggested the Young Star Classic would be a better option but pointed out that while he could not get to Sydney for a Wednesday race meeting he would fly Federal Lilly back to Graeme Duggan for this series.
"Federal Lilly has been through her Melbourne Cup preludes so all being well she will go back to Victoria after Saturday night's Wentworth Park race to tackle the Cup heats at Sandown on November 16.
"While we were happy with Federal Lilly's Young Star heat win she can go a lot quicker and she actually trialled in faster time at Wenty a week before her race on Wednesday.''
Benges is involved with famous Emeran Park Thoroughbreds, and his greyhounds share accommodation on the 100 acre property with over 100 racehorses in the plush Dooralong Valley.
Emeran Park was the home of dual group 1 winning racehorse Global Glamour along with 2017 Magic Millions Sprint winner Target In Sight.
Looks like some of the equine speed has rubbed off on Federal Lilly.
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SAM Thornell, who bred the flying sprinter Are Jai Que but sold her as a pup, finally reaped his just reward when Fierce Fran, a daughter of that speedster, scored an impressive win in Wednesday night's Ladbrokes Young Star Classic heats at Wentworth Park.
Thornell, national logistics manager for Coles Supermarkets, sold Are Jai Que to a syndicate headed by his pal Ash Quirk and that greyhound was a star on the track, winning 19 of her 32 races.
Thornell secured a couple of puppies from Are Jai Que's November, 2016, litter to Kinloch Brae, and one is Fierce Fran, who, like Are Jai Que, is trained by Michael Clayton.
Fierce Fran won her Young Star heat in 30.19sec but almost certainly would have gone quicker had she not collided with the eventual runner-up, Faun Flame, while disputing the lead at the first turn.
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FASTEST sectional times in the Young Star heats were posted by Mottza, trained in Queensland by Steven Scott.
Mottza led all the way in 30.14sec for the 520m but his splits of 5.43, 13.80 and 17.96 were clearly quickest of the four heats.
"It was a good effort because Mottza had not seen Wentworth Park prior to last Wednesday night,'' Scott said.
"I also had his litter brother Coopes in one of the Classic heats and he finished third to Fierce Fran and Faun Flame but is capable of winning at Wenty.
"Coopes is actually a little bit faster than Mottza.''
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TRAINER Donna Campbell's rush to qualify Springcreek Bill, a new addition to her Belimbla Park kennels, paid off last Wednesday night when the former middle distance campaigner stormed home to win a heat of the Ladbrokes Masters Meteor.
Formerly trained at Shellharbour by Billy Bates, who is one of the dog's three part-owners, Springcreek Bill came from a distant fourth on the back straight to run down Black Hole Sun by a length in a slick 30.04sec.
"Conditions of the Master Meteor decreed that greyhounds had to have had a minimum of 40 starts but when I got Springcreek Bill he had raced only 30 times,'' Campbell said at Wentworth Park.
"So I got stuck into him with this race in mind and when he finished fourth at Nowra on October 1, he had his 40th outing, squeaking into the series with under a fortnight to spare.
"Springcreek Bill has always been a fast dog and when Billy trained him he trialled a blistering 29.60sec over 520m at Dapto.
"But his lack of early speed and keenness for the rails has kept his record to nine wins from 41 races now.
"Billy gave me the dog because he handed his house over to his son and no longer had the facilities to train.
"But we are great friends and Billy has been, and still is, is a very good hand with a greyhound.''
