Ebby Powers Home For Another Wenty Win

By Jeff Collerson
Ebby Jet Power has always possessed brilliant early pace but has become the complete race dog after running home in 11.78s to notch his 12th win in 21 starts on Saturday night at Wentworth Park. 

Ebby Jet Power's 29.68s performance in the 520m Free-For-All set the time standard for the meeting and trainer Michael Eberand will now target the NSW Sprint Championship at Wentworth Park on August 13 with the dog. 

Eberand had a bitter sweet night at Wenty on Saturday as his stayer Sorry Scott dropped a hind leg muscle in Saturday's top grade 720m event where the Kerry Drynan-trained Pearl Of Tahiti took her long-distance tally at headquarters to four wins from five starts. 

"When Ebby Jet Power won in 29.78s at Wentworth Park last week I thought he 'switched off' slightly leaving the back straight so I brought him back to the track earlier this week and gave him a drag around to make sure his mind was on the job tonight,'' Eberand said. 

"I was really pleased with how well he got to the line tonight, he has definitely got stronger without losing any of his early zip.'' 


Hobby owner-trainer Steve Fitch landed a winning double on Saturday with litter brother and sister Cumbria Lad, who clocked 29.80 and is trained on his behalf by Allan Manwaring, and with Cumbria Belle, who scored in 29.84, and is trained by her owner. 

Cumbria Belle finished fifth in the group 1 Ladbrokes Peter Mosman Opal on July 11 after being runner-up to final winner Lilly Banner in her heat. 

"The Peter Mosman came up a couple of weeks too soon for Cumbria Belle,'' Fitch said on Saturday. 

"I had to rush her a bit and while she acquitted herself well, she is a better greyhound now than when she contested the final. 

"Ironically Cumbria Belle was not supposed to be racing at Wentworth Park tonight because I nominated her for my local track, Nowra, but when she failed to secure a draw there I threw in an entry for her at Wenty.'' 


Magic Awaits, whose dam Magic Moves had her career on the track cut short because she was starting to go blind, landed her first Wentworth Park win after being placed in five from nine previous outings at headquarters. 

"When she went straight to the front tonight it made a difference because Magic Awaits seems to find all the trouble in the world when she is not on the bunny,'' owner-trainer-breeder Tony Messina said later. 

"She is from the second litter whelped by Magic Moves, which my wife Wilma and I raced successfully. 

"We refused a $30,000 offer for Magic Moves at one stage of her career but she had to be retired because her eyesight was failing her. 

"She can't have any more puppies because she is completely blind now. 

"Magic Moves gets on fine at home because she knows her way around so well, but if another of our dogs comes near her she senses their presence and gives them a warning growl.'' 

Blue Moon Rising, or "Spike'' as he is known to trainers John and Melinda Finn, lifted his earnings to $510,553 when he scored his 42nd win at start number 133 on Saturday. 

Although better known as a stayer, Blue Moon Rising contested a 520m Masters event and after being a distant fifth on the back straight and third turning for home, roared home to win by two lengths in 30.25. 

It was the dog's 14th Wentworth Park 520m victory and Melinda Finn said later: "We nominated him for a Masters 520m race, because Blue Moon Rising turned four in April, but we had asked that he be drawn in a 720m event if there was no Masters event available. 

"He is such a marvelous old dog he can win over any distance and one thing for sure, John and I will never get another dog to compare with Spike.''