VETERAN Mottza, a rising four year old who has won in brilliant times on seven tracks in four different states, is drawn to be the surprise package in tomorrow night's (Thursday) Heats of the group 2 Husqvarna Maitland Gold Cup.
Now trained in western Sydney by Patricia Chaker and her son Jackson, Mottza has drawn box eight in Heat one and his record suggests he is positioned to cause an upset.
Mottza has won 29 of 69 starts for owner Jeff Schrull but his tally from the extreme outside trap is a far more impressive nine wins from 14 appearances.
Mottza has won in near record times of 21.61 over 380m at Cannington (WA) and in 22.44 over 405m at Mandurah (WA), he gave the record a shake when he won over 431m at Ipswich in 24.86, and recorded slick figures in Queensland over 431m at Ipswich (24.86) and 395m at Albion Park (22.92), over 425m at Bendigo, Victoria (23.95) at in NSW over 520m at Wentworth Park (30.14) and Grafton 407m in 23.21.
"This will be Mottza's first start for my son Jackson and myself, but he is doing every thing right so far,'' Patricia Chaker said.
"We have been slipping him up our straight track and he is faster than any greyhound we have trained.
"The dog's owner Jeff Schrull, an Adelaide businessman, is a long-time client of ours and we train Hit Record, who has won eight races at Wentworth Park, on his behalf.
"We are also training Zipping Byron for Jeff, and that dog has box six in Maitland's tougher second Cup Heat.
"But he can run like the wind too and won first-up for us last Friday at Richmond, covering the 535m in a quick 30.67.''
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Ebby Infrared, whose sire Aussie Infrared covered the 450m in a blistering 24.94 when he took out the 2017 Maitland Gold Cup final, will exit box one when he takes on Mottza in the opening Heat.
The Michael Eberand-trained Ebby Infrared wore the red rug when third to Pindari Express in the Bulli Gold Cup over February 22 and has won three races over the 450m Maitland Cup course, posting consistently flying figures of 24.79, 25.01 and 25.10.
Aston Sapporo, whose trainer Jason Mackay landed the 2018 Maitland Gold Cup final with Aston Duke in a scorching 24.88, has box three in Heat one.
A winner of 11 from 17 starts, Aston Sapporo has shown his credentials for this year's Cup series by already scoring in 25.00 and 24.97 over the Maitland 450m journey.
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Heat two features a lip-smacking clash between Aston Sapporo's kennelmate Turbo Thomas in box four and Warragul Cup winner La Grand Quality in box eight.
Turbo Thomas, who has won 21 of 24 races, is undefeated in a dozen Maitland outings and boasts personal best times on 21.96 for the 400m trip and 25.09 for the longer Cup distance.
The Darryl Thomas-trained La Grand Quality is also unbeaten at Maitland, winning each of his five starts there including quickest performances of 22.04 over 400m and a track record 24.56 for 450m.
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NATIONAL Futurity winner Zipping Veyron (pictured), who is being set for next month's Golden Easter Egg at Wentworth Park by trainer Jason Mackay, has box six in Heat three of the Cup.
Zipping Veyron is chasing her 16th win in 21 races and despite limited experience at Maitland, has won over the 450m Cup course in 25.04sec.
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LEADING western districts trainer Dennis Barnes has not stopped singing the praises of the Temora circuit since his bitch Nangar Diva scored her second country cups final win there last Sunday.
Coming off her victory in last month's Bathurst Cup, Nangar Diva led throughout from box five to take out last Sunday's 457m Ladbrokes GBOTA Temora Cup final.
Barnes, who has been a leading light in greyhound racing over four decades, said: "It's a pity Temora, which has to be among the best 'one turn' tracks in Australia, only has a handful of TAB meetings annually.
"The work that the committee and the wider community do to keep the Temora course in such exceptional racing condition is an absolute credit to them.
"Both the kennel block and the lawns are first class.''
