Good Juan's amazing effort to come from 15 lengths behind the leader with 250m to go and win in 29.95s at Wentworth Park on Saturday night ranks alongside the victories of Rapid Journey in the 1998 National Sprint Championship and Tenthill Doll's 1996 Golden Easter Egg success as among the sport's greatest performances of the past 25 years.
Race-caller Tim Newbold summed up the magnitude of Good Juan's win as the dogs flashed across the line with his comment: "My goodness, that didn't happen!''
Tenthill Doll's Golden Easter Egg win remains arguably the most impressive in that race's history, and Good Juan's trainer Harry Sarkis had bought her for $20,000 from a Queensland owner.
Tenthill Doll went on to earn over $380,000 for her Sydney owners.
Sarkis, who paid $120,000 for Good Juan early this year on behalf of Seymour (Victoria) owners Linda Edgerton and Bronte Kumm, wasn't surprised by his new acquisition's run at Wentworth Park on Saturday.
"In a recent post-to-post hand-slip at Richmond he clocked 24.80s and ran home in 14.42s, times which are unheard of, while I believe his run home time tonight of 11.38 has only been bettered once at Wentworth Park.
"I am thrilled for the dog's owners because they paid big money for Good Juan but have put no pressure on me and were patient when their greyhound tore a pin muscle in his shoulder, which sidelined him for three months.
"With Good Juan I have gone back to training methods I used with another versatile dog I trained called Black Aztec.
"He won the 1980 Melbourne Cup and 1981 Hobart Thousand, group one sprints, and the 1981 Association Cup, a group one staying race.
"Good Juan is being trained exactly how I used to train Black Aztec, and that includes his food, as I am paying $9.50 a kilo for the best meat I can find.
"I don't think Good Juan will get so far behind the leaders next times he races because Saturday's was his first test in a full field for this preparation.''
Three interstate candidates for this Saturday night's heats of the group 1 Vic Peters Classic at Wentworth Park trialled brilliantly at their first Sydney appearances last Saturday.
It's A Blaze, trained in Victoria by Kel Greenough, set the time standard, covering the 520m in 29.56 after running home in 11.52 following less than spectacular sectional times of 5.57, 13.94 and 18.04.
Boom WA sprinter Tommy Shelby carved out quick splits of 5.49, 13.86 and 17.96 before stopping the clock at 29.63 while another Victorian, Houdini Boy, recorded 29.69.
Houdini Boy, a kennelmate of It's A Blaze, walked out of the boxes so it was no surprise his first split was 5.74, but he picked up the pace with second and third splits of 14.09 and 18.16 before running home in 11.53.
It's A Blaze has won each of his only two races by margins totalling more than 26 lengths, while Houdini Boy's record stands at seven starts for four wins and three placings.
Tommy Shelby, named after the main character in Netflix's hit series Peaky Blinders, is trained by Steve Withers, who admits he is fascinated by the TV show.
"I've been training for 14 years but while I have had several good performers, Tommy Shelby, who has won 12 from 17 starts, is the best,'' Withers said.
"I flew the dog from Perth to Sydney on Thursday and will stay here in order to take Tommy Shelby back to Wentworth Park on Tuesday to give him another look at the track.''
Queenslander Waddling Witch, who is being prepared for Saturday night's heats of the group 1 Peter Mosman Opal by Hunter Valley trainer Geoff Sattler, also trialled impressively at Wentworth Park last Saturday.
Waddling Witch took 29.91 to cover the 520m but indicated she was an early speed machine by notching sizzling first and second section times of 5.41 and 13.80.
She won five of her first eight starts at Albion Park and Ipswich and looks as if she is going to hard to catch over the Wentworth Park 520m trip.
