Feral Franky showed no ill effects of a trying and ill-fated trip to Sydney for last week's cancelled Wentworth Park meeting when he gave Million Dollar Chase winner Good Odds Harada a start and a beating in Saturday night's group 3 Christmas Gift.
Good Odds Harada jumped in front and made the pace but Feral Franky, after crossing Jimmy Casey to be second at the first turn, took off after the leader on the back straight.
When Good Odds Harada moved to the centre of the track leaving the back straight, Feral Franky, nailed to the rail, drove underneath him and hit the front at the top of the straight.
The Raymond Smith-trained Vic Peters Classic winner came away to win by two lengths from Good Odds Harada in a best of the night 29.54s for the 520m.
After the race Smith explained: "Last week, in an endeavour to reach Wentworth Park from my home at FORBES, I took several detours to avoid the fires and after over seven hours arrived at Little Hartley, just past Lithgow.
"But at the point I hit a road-block and was told we could proceed no further, but fortunately news came through around the same time that the WP meeting had been called off.''
Feral Franky, who Smith describes as a great traveller, obviously took no harm from the arduous trip as he broke the Bathurst 450m record in a trial last Monday.
The FORBES-based Smith had a big night at Wentworth Park on Saturday, with Feral Franky's litter sister Solar Sky leading throughout to take out the final event in 30.19.
"Because she is a sister to the Feral, Solar Sky is a valuable brood bitch for the boys that own her,'' Smith said.
The Jodie Lodie Lord-trained Just Terms repeated her defeat of Blue Moon Rising in the Newcastle Cup at LADBROKES GARDENS on December 13 by again giving that greyhound a start and beating in Saturday night's 720m Christmas Cheer at Wentworth Park.
Just Terms was fourth in the field of four in the early stages but after being third on the back straight, railed to the lead over pacemaker Blue Moon Rising on the home turn and won in a slick 42.35s.
China O'Brien almost caused an upset, flashing home to finish second, less than a length from the winner.
China O'Brien threw the race away by veering off the track entering the straight the first time around, and her fast finishing performance has earned her a tilt at Thursday night's Summer Carnival Staying Cup heats at Brisbane's Albion Park.
Foxzami Muzza and Lollipop Liz also broke the 30s barrier for the Wentworth Park 520m trip on Saturday, with the Ken Catford-trained Foxzami Muzza leading throughout in 29.75 and Lollipop Liz also leading all the way in 29.93s.
When she won first-up at Wentworth Park on December 7 Lollipop Liz gave owner-trainer Sarah O'Sullivan a Wenty winner with her first starter at the track and made it two from two on Saturday.
After the race O'Sullivan's father John said: "We train Lollipop Liz in an unusual manner because we rarely put her behind the lure.
"Most of her training consists of her sprinting up our local Redhead straight trial track, with one of us using a whistle and calling up Lollipop Liz, who runs flat chat to get to Sarah or myself.''
