Deuce Wins Again After Owners Knock Back Huge Offer
By Jeff Collerson
Jungle Deuce scored his eighth win in 10 Wentworth Park starts on Saturday night, in the same week that his owners Clay Mawson and Brian Jaggers refused a $150,000 interstate offer for their crack young sprinter.
The Jack Smith-trained dog jumped on terms with his arch rival Winlock On Top but outpaced that dog to lead throughout in 29.40, another fastest time of the night performance.
Jungle Deuce came away to win by over five lengths and it was not surprising the JODIE Lord-trained Winlock On Top could make no impression as the winner ran home in an outstanding 11.54.
Part-owner Brian Jaggers confirmed the mammoth interstate bid for Jungle Deuce, commenting: "We aren't interested in selling him, we are having too much fun with this dog.
"And let's not forget Jungle Deuce does not turn two until next Friday, so he has it all ahead of him.''
Second fastest time on Saturday was posted by the former Victorian Opal Rocks, who accelerated along the rails from third on the back straight to win by six lengths in 29.63.
Opal Rocks' run home was slightly better than Jungle Deuce's figures with the relatively new addition to JODIE Lord's kennels finishing off in 11.52.
Longest priced winner on Saturday was Key Enterprise, who overcame his customary slow start to win 30.09.
Key Enterprise firmed from $23 to $16 and after being sixth going through the pen was fourth turning for home before flashing along the rails to score by two lengths.
His trainer BillyDavidson said: "He has had 22 starts and has missed the kick in 18 of those races.
"I trialled him at LADBROKES GARDENS on Monday and if he didn't trial well I wasn't going to enter him for Wenty tonight.
"But when Key Enterprise clocked the good time of 29.50 in his Gardens trial I put in a nomination but was disappointed when he drew box six.
"Key Enterprise is desperate for the rails but while he is a terrible box dog, in his favour is that he is very clever at weaving in and out of the field and dodging trouble.''
Davidson, who has been training since 1978, said: "My father, also Billy, trained greyhounds, and my son Mark is also a trainer.''
Zambora Zipper prevailed in Saturday's tightest finish, coming from fourth at the halfway mark to defeat Miss Bon Bon by a nose, with pacemaker Uno Herrera a head away third in 30.06.
Zambora Zipper is trained by Robert Howard whose daughter Jorja handled the greyhound for owner Ross Panowitz.
Jorja Howard said after the race: "Zambora Zipper tends to get worked up in the kennels but when I got him out tonight he was surprisingly calm.
"When he was like that I thought he was ready to run a big race.''
Owner Ross Pannowitz said: "I bought Zambora Zipper as a pup after being out of the sport for 10 years.
"But I've had a lot of success in years gone by with dogs like Rocket Rush, Torro's Rush and in the early 1990s with Tiny Rush.''
Zipping Niseko continued her rise through the staying ranks by notching her third win in six Wentworth Park 720m races for trainer Luke Adams and owner Marty Hallinan.
"I think she will keep getting better because she is only 27 months old and when Zipping Niseko finished fifth in Stanley Road's Association Cup final she was the youngest bitch in the race,'' Adams said.
Western districts owner-breeder Marty Hallinan landed a winning double on Saturday with Zipping Stewie, trained by Mark Gatt, ringing up his sixth win in eight Wentworth Park starts in 29.91.
Zipping Stewie looked to have a tricky draw on Saturday but seems to have a knack of making his own luck - as really good greyhounds can do - to record his sixth successive victory.