Cricketing great Ricky Ponting was at Wentworth Park on Saturday night and went home a winner after backing Foxzami Muzza to take out the Free-For-All.
Ponting has long been a greyhound owner and defended his beloved "second sport'' when the Baird Government ban was about to be imposed.
"I own heaps of greyhounds at the moment, most of them racing in Tasmania,'' Ponting said.
"My dog Atley Quick, trained for me by Sonia Martin, was runner-up to Hooked On Scotch in the group 1 Hobart Thousand last month.''
When Ponting agreed to pose for a photograph with Newcastle's Ken CATFORD, the trainer told him to have something on his dog Foxzami Muzza.
After the dog's win, Ponting arrived at CATFORD's table with a round of beers as a thank you for the tip.
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Aston Wizard, who staged an astonishing performance to finish second in Saturday night's group 1 Silver Chief Classic final at The Meadows, will tackle the National Derby heats at Wentworth Park on Friday, January 17.
Victorian trainer Glenn Rounds said: "Before the Derby series gets under way Aston Wizard will have a box-to-box trial at WP to acquaint him with the track.
"Aston Wizard is owned by Ray Borda, for whom I commenced training a couple of dogs around 12 months ago.
"I was rapt in Aston Wizard's run in the Silver Chief because he came from last and got chopped out on the point of the corner.
"He gave the leader, Simon Told Helen, around 15 lengths' start and was beaten just three-and-a-half lengths.
"He certainly has a bright future because he is only a baby. he doesn't turn two until the end of March.''
"Disappointingly my other good dog Waging War, is a week too old for the Derby.
"Instead he will be nominated for the group 1 Paws Of Thunder at Wentworth Park on January 18.''
Aston Wizard has had just a dozen races for five wins and four placings, with his Sandown and The Meadows times of 29.33 and 29.64 testament to his talent.
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Chevy Rock, described by owner-trainer Michael Manuel as a "big, awkward sort of dog'' showed his liking for roomy one turn tracks and in particular the Wauchope starting boxes by dominating last week's Cup series there.
Chevy Rock "came out running'' to trounce the talented Kamikaze Cowlick in a best of the day 25.61 heat win before putting in a repeat performance in easily accounting for prolific TAB short course winner One For Tod in Saturday's final.
Manuel's greyhound covered the 457m in the run-off in 25.47, just .10sec outside course record figures.
"I intend racing Chevy Rock at Maitland this week but plan to bring him back to Wentworth Park eventually,'' Manuel, a coal miner, said.
"Before his only race at WP in September Chevy Rock clocked a bit over 24.40 in a post-to-post slip there when he ran home in a fast 11.66.
"But in his race he drew box two and missed the kick before finding awful trouble at the first turn.''
