My BUDDY's brilliant win in the fastest time of the day at Saturday's opening Richmond straight track meeting gave a tick of approval to the re-introduction of that type of racing.
"My BUDDY's career virtually came to a standstill last October due to injury,'' trainer Charlie Gatt said.
"I had my doubts about whether he could race again because going around bends could be a problem.
"When it was announced that Richmond would become NSW's first straight track after so many years, I was sweating on the opening meeting because I was convinced My BUDDY would be suited.
"He was having his first start for six months last Saturday but I knew he still had the speed and was certain straight track racing would extend his career.''
Dual Million Dollar Chase winning trainer Peter Lagogiane was not surprised at Gatt's declaration, adding: "That in itself is an endorsement of GRNSW's move in adding straight track racing to the calendar.''
Apart from enabling recuperating greyhounds to get back to the track, the Richmond straight also provides an ideal introduction to the careers of youngsters.
Shaun Evans, who trained a winning double at Richmond on Saturday with Hiatus and Euphemism, said: "Chris Nutt and I operate a breaking-in establishment and when our clients send young dogs to us we always give them their first runs up the straight.''
Kim Mulrine also won a double on Saturday with Fox Key and Victoria's Kara and her husband Andrew said: "Richmond will be a great way to launch a dog's career and will also serve to extend their racing days.
"Because it has country grading, Richmond will have a lot of appeal to trainers because you can win four races there with good prizemoney without going up in grade on TAB tracks.
"The other thing that was pleasing for Kim and I was that each of our winners went into their races on Saturday without having previously seen the Richmond track.
"We were not able to organise trials there but prepared them with hit-outs on the Appin straight trial track and they came up the Richmond course superbly.
When crack jockey Brenton Avdulla won Saturday's Group 1 All Aged Stakes at Randwick on Kolding, he celebrated with friends a few hours later at Wentworth Park greyhounds.
Avdulla was there to watch his dog Fernando Hunter, trained by Darryl Thomas, make his metropolitan debut in the final event.
Fernando Hunter went into the race with an impressive provincial tally of five wins from seven starts and while he didn't win on Saturday, his first city victory is not far away.
After bungling the start, Fernando Hunter railed into third place on the back straight and finished second, beaten just over a length by the Peter Lagogiane-prepared Pay Call in the slick time of 29.82.
.jpeg?height=304&resize=fill&width=540)