Jason MACKAY has trained three of the past 10 winners of the Group 2 Sires On Ice Black Top and while he doesn't have quantity in Friday night's Heats at LADBROKES GARDENS he is optimistic about the quality of his two entries, Zipping Veyron and Aston Maeve.
Zipping Veyron, who began brilliantly from box four to lead all the way in the group 1 National Futurity at Wentworth Park in January, has box eight in Heat four.
Aston Maeve, who was sent out a $2.70 favourite when third to her kennelmate in the Futurity final, has box five in Heat six.
None of Zipping Veyron's rivals has matched her personal best 515m time at The Gardens of 29.45 while Aston Maeve is clearly the quickest winner at the Newcastle track in her Heat, having recorded a sensational 29.30.
MACKAY won the 2019 Black Top with Aston Duke in 29.65 and landed the finals in 2017 with Mister Twister in 29.44 and with Snozz, who clocked 29.35 in 2010.
"The Gardens is all about early speed so my two bitches are both going to need to come out running,'' MACKAY said.
"But I am happy with the way they have been trialling and they are ready to run big races.
"In terms of early pace there is nothing between them but Aston Maeve probably has a slight edge overall on Zipping Veyron.
"Aston Maeve does look my better chance because although she has drawn in the middle her Heat does not look quite as strong as the one Zipping Veyron will tackle.
"But Zipping Veyron is capable of causing an upset because she is well boxed in eight and if they jam up inside her going to the first turn she might sweep around them and go to the front.''
Magic Spring gave owner-trainer Noelene Holloway her biggest win when he took out the 2016 Group 1 National Derby but she says she received a similar buzz when her dog High Expectation landed Monday's Vale Wendy Brown Stakes at Maitland.
The race was named in honour of CESSNOCK trainer Wendy Brown, who passed away recently and who was described by Holloway as "an inspiration.''
"One of those pups, Fascinate Mary, turned out to be a great money spinner, having 22 wins and 31 placings from 93 starts.
"It was just so wonderful to win Wendy's race on Monday because she was a fantastic lady who always inspired me to be dedicated with my dogs because she was such a 'goer' who never stopped working hard with her greyhounds.''
Ritza Daniel's scorching 22.34 win on debut over 400m at Bulli on Tuesday night came as no surprise to trainer Mark Gatt.
"He had trialled 22.50 there when the track was slower than it was on Tuesday,'' Gatt said.
Ritza Daniel, owned by Gatt's father Frank, is a real home-grown product as he was sired by Ritza Lenny, the great sprinter from the Gatt kennel, and produced by Ritza Millie, another Frank Gatt/Mark Gatt greyhound.
Ritza Millie, herself a daughter of another Gatt crackerjack, Ritza Hattie, won 13 of just 31 starts and with this first litter whelped as recently as January last year, she looks to be a future super mum.
The great Pindari Express won at his first start over 400m at Bulli in May, 2018, clocking 22.18, which gives an indication of just how good Ritza Daniel could become.
