Foxzami Muzza, who fractured a stopper bone more than five months ago, continued his remarkable comeback with an equal fastest time of the night winning performance at Wentworth Park on Saturday.
Owned and trained by Ken CATFORD at Raymond Terrace, Foxzami Muzza led throughout in Saturday's star-studded Free-For-All to win by nearly four lengths in 29.73s.
Those figures matched the best of the night effort recorded by the Jason MACKAY-trained Aston Sapporo in Saturday night's opening event, a 520m fifth grade.
At his previous Wentworth Park start Foxzami Muzza had won in 29.75s, time bettered on that card only by the mighty Feral Franky, who won in 29.54s.
Foxzami Muzza began his career in Victoria but after winning eight of 21 races suffered a fractured stopper bone, usually a career ending injury.
CATFORD explained: "I bought this dog as a three months old puppy for $2500 intending to train him myself, but then I suffered a stroke.
"Because of my health issues I sent the dog to Melbourne and he did well until he fractured the stopper bone.
"Veterinary opinion down there was Foxzami Muzza was only a 50/50 chance of racing again but when I got him home my local vet, Dr Peter Yore, operated and said he believed if I was patient, the dog would get back to the track.
"In October Peter told me it was time to put Foxzami Muzza in a race and the dog won over 400m at Maitland in the fast time of 22.24.''
Aston Sapporo and Castle Archer, who provided the quinella for trainer Jason MACKAY in the first event on Saturday, will each tackle the group 1 National Derby heats later this month.
Aston Sapporo's 29.73s included splits of 5.45 and 13.81 while a kennel spokesman said: "Our runner-up Castle Archer should be improved as he had not been out of the Wenty 520m boxes previously.''
MACKAY will also target the group 1 National Futurity heats at Wentworth Park later in January with Zipping Veyron, who scored her sixth straight win on Saturday night.
Zipping Veyron had led throughout to win at Wentworth Park in 30.08s on December 28 and on Saturday clocked identical time after running down pacemaker Knocker Elly.
Michael Eberand, trainer of the recently retired crack stayer Ebby Ripper, will aim his Saturday night Wentworth Park winner Ebby Infrared for the National Derby heats.
Ebby Infrared bungled the start but showed good speed to lead at the half-way mark before fading in the straight to win by a head in a slick 29.93.
"He doesn't get to the line like Ebby Ripper does he?'' Eberand quipped later.
"Ebby Infrared had box seven tonight and I am hoping when the Derby series gets under way he can start drawing inside.''
Ebby Infrared is partial to Wentworth Park as Saturday night's win took his tally at headquarters to four wins, three seconds and a third from eight starts.
