Poco Dorado not only broke the race record and took her Wentworth Park 720m tally to 10 wins from 10 starts when she won Saturday night's group 3 Summer Cup but helped create a result that had the experts reaching for the record books.
Poco Dorado led throughout in 41.77, well inside the 41.90 Summer Cup time standard established by Dyna Willow in 2013, and relegated her siblings, litter brother Blue Moon Rising and sister Veloce Nero, to the placings.
Nobody at Wentworth Park on Saturday could recall three members of the same litter filling the trifecta in a group race, and after covering Sydney greyhound racing since 1962, I certainly cannot remember such a remarkable feat.
Poco Dorado, Blue Moon Rising and Veloce Nero are from the litter whelped by 2014 National Sprint Championship winner Chica Destacada to the great Fernando Bale in April, 2016, and all are trained by John Finn for the Dee And Pee Syndicate, headed by Denis Donoghue.
John Finn, the uncle of current leading country trainer Raymond Smith, is no stranger to major success, having trained the 1991 NSW Greyhound of the Year Jessica Casey, along with Irinka Barbie, winner of the same award in 2004.
On Saturday Poco Dorado jumped with her customary brilliance from box five and was never in danger of defeat, despite being chased all the way by Blue Moon Rising, who finished just under two lengths back in second position.
Veloce Nero, a certainty beaten when third in Blue Moon Rising's heat, had every chance in Saturday's final, and was third throughout, winding up just over three lengths behind Poco Dorado.
The stage is set for a thrilling group 3 Christmas Gift final next Saturday with little separating last Saturday night's eight qualifiers.
Nangar Blaze, who has drawn box two in the final, is the quickest qualifier after defeating Zipping Mitzy by just under a length in heat one in 29.85sec.
Queensland visitor Femme Folle (French for "crazy woman'') led throughout at cricket score odds to win her heat by a half length from Off The Leash in 29.97.
Dynamo's Double, having her first start at Wentworth Park since splitting a webbing and having stitches in two toes at the track in August, snatched victory in the last stride over Modus Operandi 29.99.
Slowest of the four heat winners was My Mate Fox, who took the lead coming to the home turn before defeating Zombie in 30.12sec.
Mick Hardman, trainer of Nangar Blaze, was satisfied with his greyhound's box two draw, commenting: "I wanted box one but the two is fine, I mainly wanted to draw inside Zipping Mitzy, who is such a fast greyhound.''
Jason Magri, trainer of Zipping Mitzy, said: "She will need to begin fast in the final.
"Her run in the heat was good, she just took the wrong option when she was going after the leader as they headed for the home bend.''
Peter Barnes, trainer of My Mate Fox, said: "He can handle box eight but in a race like this my dog really needed to draw the rails.''
No greyhound though has drawn better than Modus Operandi, who has won five of his eight starts from box one and will wear the red rug in Saturday night's final.
Modus Operandi is among the most improved greyhounds in training and after missing the jump from box four drove along the rails to lead at the first turn before being run down by noted strong finisher Dynamo's Double in his heat.
From his ideal rails draw the Rob Tyler-trained Modus Operandi is capable of jumping in front so box positions favour that greyhound along with Nangar Blaze.
Rita's Boy, among the most under-rated greyhounds in work, notched his 13th WP win for trainer Mark Gatt in a 520m fifth grade on Saturday night.
After the race Gatt said: "When he has a break from racing it seems to take Rita's Boy a couple of runs before he really starts firing again and before tonight his previous couple of races have indicated he was close to his best form again.''
Box draw for next Saturday's Ladbrokes Christmas Gift final is 1 Modus Operandi 2 Nangar Blaze 3 Femme Folle 4 Dynamo's Double 5 Zombie 6 Zipping Mitzy 7 Off The Leash 8 My Mate Fox with reserves Drink Schooners and All On Amy.
