She goes about her business in a quiet, unassuming manner but certainly gets the job done because Christine Proctor is the only trainer to have qualified with dogs in Friday night's TAB Million Dollar Chase, Sydney Cup and MDC Maiden finals at Wentworth Park.
Christine won a semi-final of the Chase with Wallbanger, who has box five in the final, while her marvelously consistent stayer Show Me Confetti, who finished third in a Sydney Cup heat, has drawn six in the 720m decider.
Last Wednesday her previously unraced Teddy The Bear made the pace before finishing second in a heat of the Million Dollar Chase Maiden and will exit box eight in Friday's run-off.
Christine's husband Alan, who co-trains their large team, said: "It probably doesn't apply to Wallbanger because he does not have dazzling early speed but I've always liked box five from the 520m start at Wenty.
"I don't like box six and am not mad on the four but for some reason box five usually suits greyhounds with early pace.
"Teddy The Bear has a bit of a future, especially if his stamina increases.
"He possesses good zip so Christine and I are just hoping that he gets stronger with age, because he is still only a baby, a March, 2019 whelping.
"Show Me Confetti has had four wins and 14 placings from 27 races over the Wenty 720m trip so she has been a good little money-spinner.''
Christine and Alan Proctor's first big race winner was Lucy Lawless, who won the 1998 Ladies Bracelet at Wentworth Park in race record time.
"We trained Lucy Lawless from a house block at Smithfield,'' Alan recalled.
"At that time I had been a meter reader for the same energy company for 26 years but in 2010 was made redundant.
"That forced Christine and I to switch from being hobby trainers to trying to earn a living by going full-time with the greyhounds''
Bessy Boo, who took out the 2014 group one Peter Mosman Classic at WP, is likely to always remain the Proctors' favourite, after contesting 158 races for 44 wins and 55 placings, collecting over $337,000 in prizemoney.
Shadow Mist recorded the quickest first and second "splits'' of the eight TAB Million Dollar Chase semi-finals but while trainer Lauren Harris was naturally thrilled to see her dog draw the rails in Friday's final, fast beginners have a habit of misjudging the jump from box one at Wentworth Park.
That's why it was not surprising when Kristy Sultana, trainer of Sydney's best greyhound Flying Ricciardo, said: "I am very happy having my dog in box three.''
Flying Ricciardo has notched 14 wins and two seconds from 16 starts went into Friday's semi-final after registering a record smashing 18.20 in a 330m trial at Richmond 72 hours earlier.
Darryl Thomas, trainer of third fastest qualifier Xerri, is delighted with box two but is convinced his dog will need luck to win.
"Xerri can't lead the way he did in his semi and his only hope is if the likely pacemakers Shadow Mist, Flying Ricciardo and Tommy Shelby, come together and my dog follows them through with a lucky run,'' Thomas said.
Peter Lagogiane, who took out the inaugural Million Dollar Chase with Mystic Riot in 2018, trained Handsome Prince to win a semi-final from box two but owner Shakeel Latimer concedes his greyhound faces a huge task from box seven in the final.
Waging War, who narrowly missed a 2019 final berth when beaten in a flying 29.46 by Black Opium in a semi-final, has box four this year.
Trainer John Finn said: "Waging War has got no early pace so he is going to have to come from behind and have a lot of luck if he is to win the final.''
