Saturday night's Group 1 Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg fields were arguably the strongest on record and for what is believed to be the first time all 10 heat winners broke the 30 second barrier for the Wentworth Park 520m trip.
Fernando Blaster (pictured), trained at Ettrick, in the NSW Northern Rivers by Terry Jordan, set the standard with a blistering all-the-way 29.40 performance in heat two, a tick ahead of Pindari Express, who stopped the clock at 29.41.
Prepared at suburban Chifley by Tracey Scruse, Pindari Express silenced his knockers by giving brilliant Victorian front-runner Crimson Vixen a start and a decisive beating in 29.41 in heat six.
Not far away on the clock was Federal Lilly, a relatively new addition to the Sydney kennels of Peter Lagogiane, who reeled off dazzling sectional times on her way to a 29.45 victory in heat three.
Miss Splendamiro charged into yet another set of big race semi-finals with an all-the-way win in heat four in 29.54 while Fast Car Driving produced the upset of the night byt leading throughout from box six in heat one in 29.69.
NSW was on the front foot again in heat 10 when Nangar Kash, from the Michael Hardman kennels, led from the first turn in 29.72 while Million Dollar Chase runner-up Jamella Jet powered home for another local trainer, Andrew Crouch, in 29.83 in heat nine.
A fraction slower was Black Opium, who ran down Caitlyn Keeping in heat seven in 29.84, completing a night of mixed results for top Melbourne trainer Seona Thompson.
Black Opium's kennelmate Poke The Bear, who went into heat three with earnings of more than $486,000, smashed a hock and failed to complete the course.
"He will now become a family pet, as Poke The Bear's testicles are up in his groin so he cannot be used as a stud dog,'' Thompson's husband Jason said at Wentworth Park.
Mystic Riot, who tipped out Jamella Jet in last year's inaugural Million Dollar Chase, gave trainer Peter Lagogiane a winning double when she took out heat eight in 29.86 while Eye Rock presented veteran Newcastle trainer Warren Slade with perhaps the highlight of his long career with a surprise 29.98 win in heat five.
Fernando Blaster's fastest time of the night effort vindicated trainer Terry Jordan's conviction that his dog was best from an outside box.
Fernando Blaster was fastest qualifier for the group 1 National Derby final at Wentworth Park on February 2 but when he drew box one Jordan insisted his greyhound was not well suited.
Sure enough, Fernando Blaster was slightly "at sea'' from the rails and finished fourth to Axel Footluce.
Federal Lilly posted early splits of 5.35 and 13.64 in her heat win, with trainer Peter Lagogiane commenting: "When she begins as quickly as she did tonight I knew she would go fast.
"Since she came into my kennels a few months back, Federal Lilly has always been able to record sizzling splits.''
Miss Splendamiro, trained in Victoria by David Geall but owned in Sydney, was having her first start since finishing third over 600m at Cannington, Western Australia, on March 23, when she led all the way.
Part-owner Michael Phillips said later: "I'm told one of her splits when she led and got run down in Perth was a record and as tonight was her first race since, she might be even better in next week's semi-finals.''
Million Dollar Chase winner Mystic Riot's owner Sandra Camden-Bermingham was proud of her greyhound tenacious win from box six.
"She seemed to be caught up in traffic going to the first turn but pushed through the pack to be second on the back straight,'' Camden-Bermingham said.
"Mystic Riot just loves the Wentworth Park track.''
Fast Car Driving, a $37 boilover winner, surprised owner Chris Carl although he was not totally shocked to see his Jeff Britton-trained greyhound jump so well from box six.
"When Fast Car Driving draws an odd-numbered box he often misses the kick because he is in the boxes for longer and tends to lunge forward as the hare comes around, misjudging the start,'' Carl said.
"Being in box six tonight he was in the second group of dogs to be boxed and timed the start perfectly.''
Local fans were thrilled to see Pindari Express, the group 2 Bulli Gold Cup winner who has long been considered NSW's fastest dog, open his Wentworth Park account for trainer Tracey Scruse, who has only one dog in work.
Pindari Express has always been noted for his strength at the finish and his run home time on Saturday was a near record 11.57sec.
Veloce Nero ran a wonderful trial for next Saturday's heats of the group 1 Association Cup, 720m, with an all-the-way win over Victoria's Boom Down and the consistent Little Digger in Saturday's long-distance event.
Veloce Nero carved out the journey in 41.81, only .01sec outside her personal best, while her litter sister and kennelmate Poco Dorado finished fifth as she attempted her 13th win in 15 Wentworth Park 720m outings.
"She likes to get up the track in the run to the first turn so when Poco Dorado did not begin fast I knew she was in trouble,'' trainer John Finn said.
"She is far better off in box seven or eight.''
Semi-finals of the Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg will be held at Wentworth Park next Saturday night.
