He is still a month short of his second birthday but Flying Ricciardo is being hailed as the new Fernando Bale after scoring his 16th win in 19 starts at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
The Kristy Sultana-trained flying machine again did not put a foot wrong in leading throughout to land the $40,000 to the winner Ladbrokes Gold Muzzle Auction final.
Flying Ricciardo covered the 520m in his personal best WP figures of 29.69s - fastest time of the night - defeating PREMIER GRANT, who ran the race of his life, by just over two lengths.
Fernando Bale won 35 of 44 races in 2014 and 2015 including 16 in succession, and the sport has not seen the prospect of another front-running greyhound being his equal until Flying Ricciardo emerged.
Training honours on Saturday night were again with Jodie Lord, who snared a double with Rapallo and Jax Kade, while Andrew Bell achieved a rare feat by providing the trifecta with Winlock Shifty, Spring Brigade and Good Odds Armani in a 520m fifth grade.
Second Exit, trained by Peter Sims, once again showed her liking for an outside draw by taking the lead at the first turn to win a fourth and fifth grade in 29.77, time bettered only by the aptly named Flying Ricciardo.
After the race Peter Sims said: "She loves a wide draw at Wentworth Park but she hates box one on this track.
"However it is a different matter at provincial tracks when she is coming from bend starts because then Second Exit prefers an inside alley.''
On Saturday Second Exit was coming off a strong 600m win at LADBROKES GARDENS and underlined her power at the finish by running home at the end of 520m at Wentworth Park in 11.67s.
There have been few greyhounds in recent years to have enjoyed a love affair with Wenty to rival that of the Owen Langley-trained Poacher, whose 29.93 win in Saturday's Free-For-All took his record at headquarters to 12 wins, 10 seconds and six thirds from 38 appearances.
Saturday's win extended Poacher's earnings to $103,595.
Poacher was having his first start since mid-August but began smartly from box four and after trailing longshot Hammer Down to the home turn, surged home to win by just under a length from Jodie Lord's Winlock On Top.
"When I was preparing him for the TAB Million Dollar Chase Poacher trod on a stick and punched a hole in his foot,'' trainer Owen Langley said.
"That's why he was out of action for more than two months.
"But in getting him ready for Tonight I have been trialling him up the straight at Appin and Poacher has been going extra well.
"Trialling there, where the drag lure starts from in front of the boxes, seems to have got Poacher beginning better than ever.''
Night Tracker's trainer Syd Swain believes his dog will relish racing in higher grades despite the dog coming from fourth on the back straight to win a fifth grade on Saturday in 30.10.
"Top grades tend to be more cleanly run because they comprise more experienced dogs and I think Night Tracker will be suited when he gets to that type of race,'' Swain said.
"Tonight he jumped well but after dropping back behind the leaders, he bided his time waiting for the rails run, which he took on the home turn.
"Soon I plan to give him a couple of 600m starts before freshening him up and bringing him back to 520m at Wentworth Park and I think he will be an even better greyhound when that occurs.''
