Bumpy Black's 21.88 heat win makes her easily the fastest qualifier for Saturday's time-honoured 384m Butch Monkley Memorial Maiden at Wauchope.
Trained by Neil Lyford, Bumpy Black won despite not having previously seen the Wauchope track.
"The locals told me I couldn't win there without a trial beforehand but circumstances prevented me taking Bumpy Black to Wauchope for a hit-out before the maiden heats,'' Lyford said.
"She has good early speed and is reasonably strong at the finish, so I think later on she is capable of winning over a longer distance.
"Kevin Gordon bred Bumpy Black but after I broke her in, along with some others from her dam's litter, I purchased the brood bitch Izzy Marlow, Bumpy Black's dam, from Kevin.''
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ANGRY Hail was not the fastest qualifier for the Butch Monkley, winning her heat in 22.06, but if she draws boxes one or two in Saturday's final trainer Nathan Goodwin believes she can win.
"Angry Hail has trialled 21.75 at Wauchope and is from a good litter I am training which are by Dyna Double One from Angry Lightning,'' Goodwin said.
"They are not two until March but the other five siblings of Angry Hail have already won on TAB tracks.
"Angry Hail actually broke in the fastest of them all but she has taken a bit longer to hit her straps.
"I rushed her to have her ready for the Coonamble carnival in October and although she trialled well there, she missed a place at her only start in the big maiden event so I eased her up.
"Potentially Angry Hail is the best in the litter, but I expect to be at Wenty Park with a couple of her siblings shortly.''
Other Butch Monkley heat winners were the Paul Heckel-trained Cool Arising in 22sec, Paul Roderick's Ms Vuitton in 22.06, Boom Foot for Charlie Lamb in 22.09 and Chris Brydon's Hopeful Lash in 22.10.
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ALLAN Syphers, a builder who is the proprietor of a fencing contract business in Gunnedah, took time out from his busy job to land a winning treble at his local track last Friday.
Syphers, who has been training as a hobby for 35 years, won over 340m with Opal Sky in 20.32, La Juliette in 19.94 and with Lizzy Keen in a fast 19.78.
"It was particularly pleasing to win with Lizzy Keen because I had earmarked this as her last race,'' Syphers said.
"I have bought a straw to Fernando Bale and as soon as Lizzy Keen comes in season I will be using it with her.
"Lizzy Keen has won 11 of 26 races but what I really like about her is that she is such a mad keen chaser.
"Greyhounds like that are a vital commodity these days so I am hoping she will impart that tenacity to her pups.''
Syphers praised the current prizemoney levels on country tracks.
"It's fantastic to think I can drive just 15 minutes from my property at Curlewis to race at Gunnedah and come away with three winners and $4000 prizemoney,'' Syphers said.
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KAREN Keeping gave 19-year-old university student COURTNEY Power her first winner as a trainer when she scored at Dubbo on Friday.
COURTNEY, who is studying to be a veterinary surgeon, says she has been assisting her father, trainer David Power, "all my life.''
She said: "Dubbo trainer Charmaine Roberts and her partner Shayne Stiff have been family friends for many years and they recently gave me Karen Keeping to train.
"Because I only have an owner-trainer's licence at this stage, Karen Keeping is in my dad's name as the official trainer but she is definitely my greyhound and it was a huge thrill to win with her her at Dubbo.
"I would encourage other young people to become involved because greyhounds are not only beautiful animals to work with but the sport itself is wonderful.''
