Blue Moon Rising, firmly established as one of Australia's best stayers, again proved his remarkable versatility on Saturday night when he notched his ninth 520m win at Wentworth Park.
The John Finn-trained Blue Moon Rising began smartly but was outpaced and after being fifth at the first turn and fourth on the back straight, surged along the rails to win running away by a length in 30.03s.
Blue Moon Rising took out Saturday's feature 520m event, a second and third grade affair, and in winning underlined an outstanding training performance by John Finn.
Blue Moon Rising, Poco Dorado, Veloce Nero and Two Times Twice, sold recently to WA interests, are members of the same litter and began racing at the end of 2017.
Finn's skill in keeping the siblings in peak form virtually non-stop for almost two years, over sprint and staying distances, and while travelling interstate for major races, must surely rank as one of the sport's finest achievements.
Blue Moon Rising's mission is the group 1 $100,000 to the winner Sydney Cup, over 720m at Wentworth Park on TAB Million Dollar Chase night, October 18.
Training honours on Saturday were with Jodie Lord, who landed a double with her recent acquisitions from Tasmania, Wynburn Mia and Wynburn Lily.
When Lord obtained the litter sisters she said she believed they could develop into good middle distance performers, and each stormed home to win their 520m races on Saturday.
Wynburn Mia scored her second win in three Wentworth Park starts when she ran down Khatanga Port while Wynburn Lily gave Benkennie Chic a big start and a beating to notch her second win in five WP outings.
Furious Not Fast was the only greyhound to break the 30sec barrier on Saturday's sloWish Wentworth Park surface, beginning brilliantly from box four and covering the 520m in 29.78sec.
She has now won five of 16 Wentworth Park appearances for owner-trainer Mark Ballantine.
The Owen Langley-trained Poacher made full use of box one to score his third Wentworth Park win in 10 days when he came from fourth at the first turn to win a 520m fifth grade in 30.35.
Lavish Pedro earned a crack at the September 16 Nowra heats of the Million Dollar Chase when he registered his 10th win in 23 starts for south coast butcher Jeff Alaban.
Alaban, who trains the dog for Rocco Corsaro, a baker from Berry, said later: "Early in his career Lavish Pedro often beat himself.
"He would run into other dogs during his races and kept finding trouble, but in his past four or five starts he has learned a lot and handles himself much better in a field.''
Lavish Pedro's kennelmate What Time Smoko will also tackle the Nowra heats of the Chase despite finishing second to outsider Franky's Wish in a slow 30.68 on Saturday night.
"If I trialled Lavish Pedro and What Time Smoko together, Smoko would beat the other dog by six lengths,'' Alaban said later.
Franky's Wish's trainer Adam Campton said: "My dog has been going okay and I had backed him for a place when he finished third at his two previous Wenty races, but didn't collect as there was no third dividend.
"I was surprised at how slow his time was tonight but I guess that was because What Time Smoko got all over Franky's Wish's back when he was trying to go underneath my dog on the back straight.
"Franky's Wish moved off the rails a little but just as What Time Smoko went to go inside him, my bloke cut back to the fence and checked him.''
Tim Caines, who won a 280m race at Wentworth Park on Wednesday with More More More, landed Saturday's opening event with the dog's litter brother More Than That, who led throughout from box six in a handy 30.13.
