Hooked On Scotch, already the winner of major finals in South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, will attempt to add this month's group 1 National Derby at Wentworth Park to his tally.
The Jason Thompson-trained star took out Melbourne's Sandown Speed Star in September and group 1 Adelaide Cup a month later before annexing the Hobart Thousand, another group 1 event, on December 19.
NSW owner-trainer-breeder Mark Moroney, who has Fire On Ice in Sunday night's Woy Woy Poultry Gold Cup final, plans to start her in the group 1 National Futurity heats at Wentworth Park on January 17 and has Fire-legend">Fire Legend in Thompson's Melbourne kennels.
"Fire Legend, who is a litter brother to Fire On Ice and has always been the quicker of the pair, has had four wins and three seconds in eight starts since I sent him to Jason Thompson,'' the dog's owner-breeder Moroney said.
"Jason was always going to bring Fire Legend to Sydney for the Derby and originally intended nominating Hooked On Scotch for the open age group 1 Paws Of Thunder which is on at the same time.
"When Jason realised Hooked On Scotch was young enough to contest the Derby, he told me he had changed his mind and would now tackle that race instead.
"The finals of the Derby, Futurity and Paws Of Thunder are all set down for Wenty Park on January 24.''
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Axle Whelan, who notched his 17th win in 38 starts at Grafton on Monday, will make his Maitland debut against Jason Magri's crack sprinter King Cratos on Thursday.
Whelan">Axle Whelan">Whelan led throughout to win over 407m at Grafton in a sizzling 22.95 and trainer Brendan Whelan, formerly based in Victoria, believes the track will suit his smart sprinter.
"He has not trialled at Maitland but it is a big, slow turning track and that is the type of course which usually suits Axle Whelan,'' he said.
"The dog had not been around Grafton for a long while but handled it well on Monday and having box one at Maitland is a bonus.
"Axle Whelan loves the rails draw.''
Now training just two greyhounds at Ashby Heights, near Maclean on the NSW north coast, Whelan drives a sugar cane truck in 12 hour shifts from June until December.
"Once that seasonal job concludes I have a bit more time to devote to the greyhounds and after Maitland I plan on taking a run down to Victoria to visit relatives and maybe give Axle Whelan a race while I'm down there.''
Whelan, who has been training for a decade, has been in NSW for the past four years.
King Cratos, a winner of 11 from 23 races, has not raced since August but is the class runner in Axle Whelan's Maitland 450m race and is likely to be sent out a warm favourite.
King Cratos finished third to Melbourne star Sennachie in the Queensland Derby final at Albion Park on May 9 after setting the time standard in the heats, clocking a blistering 29.92 for the 520m.
The dog has also won in 29.67 at Wentworth Park and while he has not raced at Maitland, he handles roomy tracks well and began his career in dazzling style at Bulli.
King Cratos won his first three races over 400m and 472m in fast times at Bulli, a renowned "one turn'' speed course.
The Maitland clash between King Cratos and Axle Whelan comes in a fourth and fifth grade event, set to get under way at 5.52pm.
