Embye a star stayer at Friday Night Lightning

By Jeff Collerson

Embye made arguably the most impressive long-distance debut seen at Wentworth Park when he came from fourth at the first turn to win over 720m on Friday night in "Poco Dorado-like'' figures of 41.88sec.

The Ruth Matic-trained son of Keybow took his record to 13 wins from 32 starts, following very quick winning times over 630m at Nowra and 565m at Maitland.

Matic was justifiably thrilled with Embye's performance but conceded she had not been certain he would run a strong 720m.

"I knew Embye would go fast for 650m but when he got to that point in Friday's race I started saying to myself 'keep going mate, keep going,' Matic said.

"I have been in the game long enough to know that greyhounds which finish powerfully over middle distances can hit a brick wall towards the end of 720 metres.

"Embye has always given the impression he would see out a strong middle distance but I felt he may be too brilliant a sprinter to also be a top stayer.

"Because he won over 565m at Maitland on April 4 he had eight days before his Wentworth Park 720m race so I was forced to trial him.

"Last Monday I put him over 520m at Nowra and he broke the track record, clocking 29.46sec.

"I didn't want him to go that fast because being so close before his first staying race at Wenty I thought a quick sprint time like that might flatten him.''

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BARDO's Memory, a former member Ruth Matic's kennel, brought owner-trainer Brian Barton a step closer to his lifetime goal of becoming a professional greyhound trainer with an impressive six lengths win in a nippy 16.25sec over 280m at Wentworth Park on Friday night.

Bardo's Memory has done virtually all his racing on the Queensland straight track at Capalaba but returned to Barton's suburban kennels at Greystanes late last year.

"When Ruth began training him Bardo's Memory stopped chasing properly around circular tracks so she suggested I send the dog to the Queensland trainer who had won 10 from 15 at Capalaba with her dog Burj Khalifa,'' Barton said.

"Bardo's Memory won four races at Capalaba but has suddenly switched on around the circle now and went well at Wenty.

"It was a thrill to win with him in town because I bred him from my bitch Hurricane Maybe, while I also have Bardo's Memory's grandmother, Single Stitch, who turns 14 next month, at home.

"I am a shopfitter by trade but have always wanted to go full-time into training greyhounds and at 50 years of age I reckon the time is nearly ripe for me to take the plunge.''

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Ducati George followed a near record 15.96 Wentworth Park 280m win on April 5 with another blistering all-the-way win, this time in a slippery 16.17, at headquarters on Friday night.

Ducati George is owned and trained at Kulnura, on the central coast, by Neil Lyford, who paid a hefty $15,000 for the dog after he had won five races in Tasmania.

"The dog finished second at his first start for me, at Maitland on March 7, but was found to be suffering from bronchitis,'' Lyford said.

"Once he got over that he was ready to go and he won first-up at Wentworth Park on April 5.

"I will now take Ducati George to Richmond for a 330m race on Wednesday and after that will take him through his grades.

"His litter brothers and sisters can run 520m so I am hoping he will eventually be able to get that trip.

"Best dog I have owned was Short Model, who was beaten favourite in the 2000 final of the Group 1 Peter Mosman Classic at Wentworth Park but who won a Group 1 race in Queensland for me.

"When Short Model passed away I got out of dogs but returned to the sport fairly recently.''