Mark's Dog Continues To Be On Fire

By Jeff Collerson
Lismore Cup winner Fire Legend produced another flawless performance at Wentworth Park on Saturday night to notch his fifth successive win in the fastest time of the meeting.

The Mark Moroney-trained dog jumped in front from box one and gave nothing else a chance to win the 520m Free-For-All in 29.70.

The ultra-consistent Ebby Infrared kept Fire Legend's supporters on their toes by pressuring the winner all-the-way before going down by one-and-a-half lengths.

Fire Legend exited box one while Ebby Infrared had three, and had the boxes been reversed the finish would almost certainly have been far tighter.


Sam Sultana, whose daughter Kristy trains crack sprinter Flying Ricciardo, took training honours for Saturday's meeting by landing a double with Cape Fernando and Eagle Rock.

Cape Fernando, a winner of six from 14 provincial starts, had been unplaced in three WP outings until he nailed the start on Saturday and led throughout in 29.83.

Flying Ricciardo's litter brother Eagle Rock, a new addition to Sultana's kennels, had finished fifth at Wentworth Park a week earlier but won in 30.09 on Saturday after trailing tearaway pacemaker Cheeky Lass to the turn.

Cheeky Lass recorded a blistering first split of 5.38 but faded in the straight to finish third.

Lynne Aldous, who bred Flying Ricciardo and Eagle Rock and whose husband John owns Saturday's winner, said: "Sam told us Eagle Rock took quite a while to settle into his new surroundings.

"I'm not surprised because Eagle Rock had been with us from when he was born and I must admit I used to spoil him and handle him a lot''

Good Odds Armani, trained by Andrew Bell for 2019 Million Dollar Chase winning owner Tracey Hurst, finally broke through for a city success on Saturday after being placed in seven of 10 WP outings.

Good Odds Armani led throughout in a personal best 29.96, with Bell commenting: "This dog certainly deserved to win one at Wenty because he is such a wonderful trier.

"Good Odds Aramani has now had 62 starts and has given me 100 per cent every time he has stepped onto the track and clocked 30.08 at Wenty recently in getting beaten.''

Carry The One, a litter sister to owner-trainer Chris Carl's Wentworth Park Wentworth Park winners Rock Or Bust and Oil And Water, followed her initial Wentworth Park win on Wednesday night with another victory on Saturday.

Carry The One came from behind to win in 30.56 on Wednesday but jumped in front on Saturday for an easy win in 30.08.

"Carry The One has always had as much ability as Rock Or Bust and Oil And Water but a problem with her dewclaw meant she was a couple of months behind them,'' Carl said.

"She kept digging into her leg with the dewclaw so I had to have it removed and since then she has been able to show her true potential.''

Cape Fernando's half-brother Shanjo Prince, usually a slow beginner, stunned racegoers by jumping in front to lead all the way on Saturday in 29.76, notching his sixth Wentworth Park win.

After the race Daniel Gatt, handling the dog for his brother, trainer Mark Gatt, said: "Shanjo Prince's litter brother Tennessee Tiger is usually tardy out of the boxes but he has also surprised us by jumping in front a couple of times and leading all the way.

"There is always a chance that greyhounds can do things like that.''

Vicki's Queen, a 29.90 all-the-way winner at Wentworth Park last Saturday week, trimmed .01sec off that time with another "catch me if you can'' romp on Saturday.

Vicki's Queen disputed the early lead with Miss Bon Bon but scampered clear near the first bend to win by six lengths.

Her litter brother Barcia Blue Boy, who had given trainer Peter Lagogiane a double by winning first-up at Wentworth Park on October 7, was beaten into third place in Good Odds Armani's race.

"They are both very talented but Barcia Blue Boy is actually a bit quicker than his sister Vicki's Queen,'' Lagogiane said.

Saturday's sole 720m event was taken out by Tornado Tears' younger full brother Temper Tears in a handy 42.49sec.

Temper Tears was stepping out for the first time since joining the Goulburn kennels of trainer Mick Hardman less than a month ago.