Candy Carrera picked up her second GRNSW Middle Distance Series $5000 cheque in a week when she led all the way at Dapto on Thursday, defying the belief that only lightly raced bitches can become successful mothers.
She had clocked a sizzling 34.55 over the Dapto 600m trip on March 4 and produced a replica performance to win in a slick 34.62 there on Thursday.
"Candy Carrera's dam Sweet Lolly had 144 races for 17 wins, including four at Wentworth Park,'' said her trainer and breeder Peter Massa.
Although Massa bred Candy Carrera she was sold as a youngster and has come back into her current trainer's care by a circuitous route.
Massa explained: "I had sold Candy Carrera to an elderly couple but before she started racing they decided to discontinue training and asked me to take her back.
"Because Caroline Hughes and her partner Glen McKinley had educated Candy Carrera, I re-sold her to them.
"They raced her for a while but then asked me to train her on their behalf, probably surmising that I know my own breed and can get the best out of them.
"Candy Carrera has done extremely well for me and has now won 10 races and earned over $37,000.
Massa had never seen a greyhound until the mid-1980s when he visited friends at Maroubra, who had a greyhound in their small suburban backyard.
"Di and Gary McKenna had a smart dog called Teddy Cluedo and I was fascinated by this big dog relaxing calmly in a little yard.
"When they took Teddy Cluedo to Cauchi's straight trial track in western Sydney I went with them for a drive and was captivated watching this placid dog absolutely rocketing up the course.
"At the time I was living at Arncliffe where I owned three pet Dachsunds and had a loft of racing pigeons.
"But I'd become hooked on greyhounds so bought a dog called Massive Mover for $400 and due to time and space constraints the pigeons had to go.
"The late Mickey Traino gave me advice on how to train Massive Mover and he won his maiden for me at Appin in the slow time of 16.55, before winning another three there and one around the circle at CESSNOCK.
"Because he was so big, around 38kg, Massive Mover was best suited to straight racing or roomy courses like CESSNOCK.
"Candy Carrera has won in 29.99 over 520m at Wentworth Park but is at her best over a middle distance.
"So I will enter her for another 600m race at Dapto on Thursday as her litter brother, Zambora Tan, which is the only other dog I have in my kennels, has qualified for a 520m fifth grade final.''
Fate also introduced Justin King, trainer of Richmond Derby winner and top Golden Easter Egg candidate Incapacitated, to greyhound racing.
"As a teenager I lived across the road from John and Dawn Lye, highly successful trainers who won the group one 1989 Association Cup with Frosty Zulu,'' King explained.
"In the mid 1990s, through becoming interested in the sport by watching them caring for their dogs, I bought a pup called Flyarana, who was by Warren's Flyer.
"I asked John to take her but he told me he would instead prefer to teach me how to train her.
"I listened to John's advice and when Flyarana won six races that was it for me, I have not been without greyhounds ever since.''
Successful trainers usually insist patience is a prerequisite for success but it's unlikely many could show the perseverance shown by Fay and Mathew Wotton with their bitch Mayhem Followed.
When she led throughout to win a 400m maiden at Richmond on March 5 Mayhem Followed was lining up for her 64th race, which had previously resulted in just six seconds and nine thirds.
Although she posted a slow 23.30 in her opening win, Mayhem Followed improved her time when she recorded 23.08 in finishing second, again over 400m at Richmond, last Friday before rewarding the Wottons' persistence by getting the cash again, this time as a $34 outsider, at the Londonderry circuit last night (Sunday).
