The most talked about greyhound, in fact one of the most talked about and watched greyhounds of all time, Good Juan, will step back into the spotlight again at Wentworth Park on Saturday night, the entrée to a fabulous night of Group 1 racing.
While the Heats of the Group 1 Peter Mosman Opal and the Group 1 Vic Peters Classic are the features on a 10 race card, all eyes will be firmly fixed on the first dog onto the track on Saturday – race one number one, Good Juan.
Good Juan produced the most amazing performance to come from last to win at Wentworth Park last Saturday night, with the replay of the run “breaking the internet” such has been the number of times it has been played, shared and commented on across all social media platforms.
Good Juan will have some speedsters to chase on Saturday, with the likes of Lightning VISION, Silver Heels, Aston Zodiac and Fabulous Penny all in the opening event at 6.09pm.
But regardless of whether it is the entrée or becomes the main event depending on his performance this week, the remainder of the card with Heats of the Group 1 features, looks tantalising.
The dog considered by some as the best in the country at present, Victorian Catch The Thief has drawn the checks in the opening Heat of the Vic Peters, race two on the card.
A winner of 13 of his 20 starts, Catch The Thief was explosive in a box to box trial at Wentworth Park last week, the run rated as one of the fastest ever seen at the track.
Among his rivals are last start Wentworth Park winners Zipping Sheldon, Showtime Jack and Aston Lee, National Derby finalist Here Comes Joe, and Victorian Taken from the Jason Thompson kennel.
Heat two of the Vic Peters see the clash of two promising interstate greyhounds, It’s A Blaze and Tommy Shelby.
It's A Blaze, trained in Victoria by Kel Greenough, set the time standard in last Saturday’s trials at Wentworth Park, covering the 520m in 29.56s after running home in 11.52s.
It's A Blaze has won each of his only two races by margins totalling more than 26 lengths. He has drawn box five in the Heat.
Boom West Australian sprinter Tommy Shelby, carved out quick splits of 5.49s, 13.86s and 17.96s before stopping the clock at 29.63s. Tommy Shelby has drawn box seven in the Heat.
Also engaged in Heat two is smart local Zipping Zeek (box 3), a 29.53s winner at Wenty two runs back, Jason Thompson’s Zambora Lion (box 3), a winner in 29.49s best of the night figures at Sandown last start, and Catch The Thief’s kennelmate Playlist, a 29.52s Sandown winner two runs back, who has drawn the six.
In Heat three, another Victorian, Houdini Boy, has drawn box two. Houdini Boy recorded 29.69s in a trial at Wenty on Saturday. A kennelmate of It's A Blaze, Houdini Boy walked out of the boxes with a slow 5.74s first split, but he picked up the pace with second and third splits of 14.09s and 18.16s before running home in 11.53s.
The Daryl Thomas trained Green Siren, a winner in 29.70s best of the night at Wentworth Park last Wednesday has drawn three, Jason Thompson’s Fire Legend, a winner of 14 of 25 starts, exits the six box, and Ebby Jet Power, a 29.69s Wentworth Park winner, comes out of the eight.
In the opening Heat of the Peter Mosman Opal for the bitches, the brilliant GINA Keeping has drawn box eight.
A winner of 10 of her 12 starts, the past two at Wentworth Park, GINA Keeping is yet to exit the eight, but has won four from four wearing the black rug.
In Heat two most eyes will be on Queenslander Waddling Witch who has come up with box 1.
Waddling Witch, who is being prepared for Saturday night's Heats by Hunter Valley trainer Geoff Sattler, also trialled impressively at Wenty last Saturday night.
Waddling Witch posted 29.91s but indicated she was an early speed machine by notching sizzling first and second section times of 5.41s and 13.80s.
She won five of her first eight starts at Albion Park and Ipswich and looks hard to catch in the second Heat.
The third Heat is a tremendous race with several smart greyhounds engaged.
Northern Rivers’ bitch All Hands Off, trained by Fred Swain, has won nine of 12 starts and posted some smart time at Lismore. She has drawn well in box two.
The well-bred Midnight Flash from the Ray Smith kennel in in three, alongside Forners Flame who posted best of the night figures of 29.68s at Wenty last Saturday, while DAVE Irwin’s Nangar Silk, a winner of seven of 11 starts with four placings, and a winner at Grafton last start in a slick 27.33s last start, has drawn the eight.
The final Heat of the Peter Mosman, sees Magic Maiden winner Vamos Penny, Victorian-trained Aston Silk, smart sprinter Blazin’ Daisy and the in-form Chrissie Banner clash.
And a reminder that entry is free to Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
