"If she can stay I believe she will be something really special,'' owner Marty Hallinan remarked after his Jason Magri-trained bitch Zipping Mitzy recorded a blistering best of the night 29.58 at Wentworth Park on Saturday.
Zipping Mitzy trailed Meadowlands and Rachel's Dream through the first bend but railed to the lead soon after and won by seven lengths, eclipsing the 29.68 posted earlier in the night by Rev Fred Sloy.
The lightly-raced Zipping Mitzy has now won 11 of 19 starts and four from seven over the Wentworth Park 520m trip.
"Her run home tonight was a very strong 11.57 so from a potential long-distance viewpoint that is very encouraging,'' owner Hallinan said.
Ray Magri, whose brother Jason trains Zipping Mitzy, said: "Until they go over 720m it is hard to predict with confidence whether dogs are going to be able to stay.
"But Zipping Mitzy's litter sister Zipping Manuela can run a strong 720 metres so the pedigree is there.''
Meadowlands, who chased Zipping Mitzy home in second spot on Saturday, is trained by Peter Rodgers for leading harness racing trainers Peter Rixon and Steve Turnbull.
They named their greyhound after the world famous and palatial harness racing circuit in New Jersey, USA.
Rev Fred Sloy and Djay Holden gave trainer Vic Sultana a winning double on Saturday night, with Rev Fred Sloy finally reproducing his performance in a Queensland Derby heat early this year.
Rev Fred Sloy won a Derby heat at Albion Park in a sensational 29.70sec, and on the strength of that performance was sent out a $2.10 favourite for the classic final in mid-April.
But Rev Fred Sloy finished down the course in the final, which was taken out by fellow Sydneysider Two Times Twice.
After Rev Fred Sloy led throughout to defeat Buck's Future in Saturday's Wentworth Park Free-For-All, trainer Vic Sultana said: "When he won his Queensland Derby heat everyone kept telling me he went as well as any dog had ever gone at Albion Park.
"But although he has won races since, Rev Fred Sloy has never been able to repeat his Albion Park performance until tonight.''
Djay Holden notched his third Wentworth Park win in seven outings when he came from third early to win a 520m fifth grade for Sultana and owner Gordon Sciberras, a part-owner of Rev Fred Sloy.
"I was disappointed with Djay Holden's run when he led and finished third to Double MACK and Zipping Beau at Wentworth Park last week so it was pleasing to see him bounce back to win tonight,'' Sultana said.
Lithgow coal miner/greyhound trainer Mark Swift had a mixed night at Wentworth Park, winning a 520m race with Midnight Joyce but losing his handy sprinter Zipping Beau.
Zipping Beau smashed a hock and had to be euthanised while Midnight Joyce overcame a poor box draw to score her second win in three Wentworth Park appearances.
"Obviously I'm happy to see Midnight Joyce win again but it's hard to be too pleased after losing Zipping Beau,'' a visibly upset Swift said later.
Saturday's 720m Free-For-All was reduced to five runners with the scratching of boom youngster Little Digger robbing the event of much interest.
"He has hurt a toe and probably won't be in action until early next year,'' Little Digger's trainer Ray Smith said.
Despite the small field the top grade long-distance event was a thriller, with the consistent Taken King, the favourite, edging out the heavily bakced second elect White Sox Ethics to win by a head in a handy 42.49sec.
Eleanor Rascal, who looked the winner when prominent coming to the home bend, failed to come on in the straight and was two lengths away third.
See you next week!
