Just Terms headed for the Group 1 Sydney Cup

By Jeff Collerson

Sydney's latest staying discovery Just Terms will tackle Saturday night's 720m Ladbrokes Multimaker Series final at Wentworth Park and then take on Australia's best long-distance performers in the heats of the Group 1 Sydney Cup on October 11.

The JODIE Lord-trained Just Terms maintained her unbeaten record as a stayer with her best performance yet in Wednesday night's second heat of the Multimaker.

After being checked at box rise, Just Terms settled in third position going through the pen before moving into second place on the back straight.

Despite being a good railer, she cleverly switched to the outside in order get around pacemaker Spring Brigade, which enabled Just Terms to take the lead turning for home.

She then "gapped'' her rivals in the straight, zipping over the 720m in a slick 42.27sec.

"I really like the way she handles herself, the way she threads her way through a field,'' trainer JODIE Lord said.

At just 27 months of age, Just Terms has the long-distance world at her feet.

"She is very well bred because her dam Kerrigan Bale was a top notcher who won 14 races and nearly $100,000 prizemoney, though she was a sprinter, not a stayer,'' Lord said.

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FURIOUS Not Fast (pictured) was not the fastest heat winner in Thursday's qualifiers for the TAB Million Dollar Chase at Dapto but none were more impressive than the Mark Ballantine bred, owned and trained bitch.

While Cawborne Marty won his 520m heat in a blistering 29.80, Furious Not Fast overcame a severe check in the early stages and was fourth on the back straight before defeating Show Business in 29.98.

Paryne Azzopardi, whose father Mark Ballantine trains Furious Not Fast, said: "We were blown away with the way she won.

"Box seven in the regional final at Dapto this Thursday looks a good draw, but she will need to get away cleanly because the field is so strong, every greyhound is in with a chance,'' Azzopardi said.

"We bred Furious Not Fast from our brood bitch Sweet Runner, and she has whelped another litter to Shakey Jakey, the sire of our Dapto finalist.''

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A cut foot forced early favourite Knight's Page out of his heat of the TAB Million Dollar Chase at Gosford last Tuesday night but the dog will be ready to pursue his MDC campaign in heats at LADBROKES GARDENS on September 21.

Owner Gayle Masterson said: "It was only a minor cut which didn't even require a stitch but it was enough to put him out of the Gosford race.''

Knight's Page, who has won in 29.85 at WP, is partial to LADBROKES GARDENS. where he scored at his most recent start on August 30.

He had come from box five and defeated Vic Peters Classic minor placegetter Kid Candle in a sizzling 29.45sec.

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THE sport lost two stalwarts recently with the deaths of ORANGE trainer Les Whitton and the Hunter Valley's Gordon Watts.

Whitton, who was 78, had been reeling from the passing of Ida, his wife of 58 years, only a few weeks earlier.

The Whittons' best greyhound was Alarmist Belle, which they purChased for only $200 but who went on to win 26 races.

Their most recent Wentworth Park winner was Scarlett Liz, who won in 20.18, while they landed a top grade 520m race with Silken Gown in 2012.

Gordon Watts and wife Lorraine enjoyed long term success in the sport, particularly in the mid to late '90s and early 2000s.

They won 13 races with the outstanding Minnesota Man between 1995 and '97, a dozen with the talented Trenches from 2002 to 2004 and nine races with Seditious, between 2007 and 2008.