Curt Lee and Waging War not only gave their Victorian trainer Glenn Rounds a winning double in Saturday night's city heats of the TAB Million Dollar Chase but posted the fastest 520m times of the six races which helped decide the composition of next Friday's Wentworth Park semi-final fields.
Curt Lee, runner-up in the SA Derby on September 19, began brilliantly from box eight and led throughout to win the sixth heat in 29.83, posting dazzling sectional times of 5.39, 13.80 and 17.92.
Waging War had bungled the start in heat five but swept around the field to be third on the back straight and after joining pacemaker Tap Out Dusty on the home turn, careered away to win by four lengths in 29.84.
The other heats were taken out Slingshot Hammer in 29.87, Galaxy Banner (29.89), Eight Ball (29.91) and Nangar Kash in 30.01.
Slingshot Hammer's win was remarkable as owner Debbie COLEMAN, whose partner Rob Camilleri trains the greyhound, explained that their dog had ruptured a blood vessel in his chest less than three weeks ago.
"To get him right for this race all I could do was stand with Slingshot Hammer in freezing cold salt water,'' COLEMAN said.
"The salt water proved a cure all but it was still a marvellous effort by the dog to win a Million Dollar Chase heat after not having had a run since September 14.''
The other Victorian winner likely to be capable of improvement is Eight Ball, who led throughout in 29.91 for trainer Phil Smith.
Eight Ball ran off the track at the first turn and got wide again turning for home, but went to the line resolutely to win clearly from fellow Victorian Black Signature.
Eight Ball looked strange to the track and after the race trainer Smith said: "That was my greyhound's first look at Wentworth Park and he had not had a run for four weeks.
"He is a serious dog and should have heaps of improvement in him, possibly up to four or five lengths.''
Trainer Barry Gibbons admitted Galaxy Banner relished having box one after she began fast and led throughout to win her heat in 29.89, recording slick initial splits of 5.44 and 13.89.
"She is a lot more confident from an inside box but when I saw Jason Mackay's dog Aston Duke chasing her down the back straight I thought we were in trouble,'' Gibbons said.
"But Galaxy Banner kicked away in the straight so that was really pleasing.''
Nangar Kash, sold to Queensland owner Wade Liddell last week, was due to have his final start for Sydney trainer Mick Hardman on Saturday night but the dog's departure from NSW has been postponed after his win in heat one of the Million Dollar Chase.
Nangar Kash led throughout in 30.01 and after the race Hardman said: "The dog was to go to Queensland after tonight's race.
"But after his win, his new owner has contacted me and asked me to hang on to the dog until at least next Saturday's Chase semi-finals.
"Wade Liddell bought Nangar Kash and his kennelmate Nangar Blaze to contest Masters' races in Queensland, but now he has a runner in the eight sudden death semis of a race worth $1 million.''
Good Odds Harada and Get It Gizmo, who have already qualified for the Million Dollar Chase semis, did their big race prospects no harm with impressive wins on Saturday night.
Good Odds Harada (pictured), trained by Frank Hurst, came from third on the back straight to win the Free-For-All in 29.85 while the Jason Mackay-trained Get It Gizmo, despite colliding at the first turn, ran away with a fifth grade in 29.89
