Dr George Clegg, Australia's only general practitioner who is also a greyhound trainer, had 48 hours to remember late last week.
Dr George, formerly of Sydney's eastern suburbs but who now lives and works on the Queensland Gold Coast, won with his greyhound Big Bad Bob (pictured) at Albion Park on Thursday night.
He then flew to Sydney to see Pierata, a thoroughbred he part owns, win the Group 1 All Aged Stakes at Randwick.
"Big Bad Bob was having his 100th start so it was fantastic to see him notch his 34th win at a milestone in his career,'' Dr Clegg said.
"Pierata was probably having his final race at Randwick and while he is in demand from breeders, he needed to win a Group 1 to really seal the deal on his stud future and he did just that.''
When I asked the amiable Doc which win gave him the biggest buzz, he replied: "It was a dead-heat, but the difference was, I could go home and cuddle Big Bad Bob!''
That says it all about the allure of greyhound racing.
xxxx
MIDNIGHT Dare looks certain to qualify for the Sandown Speed Star match race series on May 5 after clocking a sensational 29.173sec in her first trial over 515m on the Melbourne circuit.
Raced by Orange breeders Danielle and Dave Pringle, Midnight Dare has entered the kennels of Seona and Jason Thompson to be prepared for the $50,000 event.
Midnight Dare's Wentworth Park wins included a sizzling 29.55 performance and she met defeat for the first time when unplaced in a heat of the Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg at Wenty on April 6.
Among Speed Star trials so far completed, only Lucy's Milo, who recorded 29.166, has gone faster, so officials believe Midnight Dare has almost certainly clinched a berth in the match races.
Also in contention is another NSW greyhound, Lagoon Rhett, who clocked 29.251 in his 515m Sandown trial and is currently fifth on the Speed Star leader board.
The lineups for the May 5 match races will be announced next Wednesday.
xxxx
FORMER steward turned trainer Debbie COLEMAN again showed her keen eye for a future winner when Big Artie Banner took out a heat of the Ladbrokes Puppy Classic at Nowra on Monday.
Big Artie Banner had won two from six starts, at Bulli and Goulburn, when COLEMAN purchased the dog in March.
"I came from Melbourne with a greyhound I had nominated for the Richmond Derby and bought Big Artie Banner during that trip,'' COLEMAN said.
Big Artie Banner led throughout to win his Puppy Classic heat in a nippy 30.15, but it's unlikely he will go on to equal the deeds of She's Gifted, another purchase COLEMAN made from NSW.
By late 2017 She's Gifted had won her first three starts, at Albion Park and Maitland, when COLEMAN bought her on behalf of a Victorian syndicate.
Since going into COLEMAN's kennels She's Gifted has won 14 of 33 races and has so far earned $176,000 in stakes.
Fastest Nowra Puppy Classic time on Monday was a near record 29.67, posted by Zipping Norton, trained by COLEMAN's partner Robert Camilleri.
It was a big day for the family as COLEMAN's daughter Kayla-Jane won a heat with Dissociative, who ran down Black Maxie in 30.04.
The other winners were Charlow in 30.01 and Nurrragi in 30.04 while the unluckiest runner was Garry Edwards' Regal Twist, who was skittled at the first turn before finishing a distant second to Zipping Norton.
Semi-finals of the Nowra Puppy Classic will be held on Monday.
