When the John Corrigan trained Dixie Zambora won the opening race on the new Grafton track on Monday it completed a script worthy of the world's greatest playwrights.
Corrigan, a Grafton committeeman since 1980 and president for nearly 20 years, has long been the new course's most enthusiastic supporter.
"My greyhound is no world-beater but she is a trier and it was a thrill to win the opening event on Monday night,'' Corrigan said.
"I think the track lived up to the hype and I've just had a fellow trial four green puppies and they went around perfectly, they galloped into and out of the turns.''
Corrigan reacted to some criticism of the winning post's positioning, saying: "We have 60 metre transitioning into the bends, 60m out of them, and the straights are 60m long.
"It would not have been practical to place the winning post anywhere else.''
Most successful trainer on Monday was local John Dart, who won a 450m event with Peltzer and a 350m race with Typhoon Sammy, who clocked fastest time of the night, 19.85.
Going into the meeting Typhoon Sammy had been the quickest to trial over the 350m trip.
Fastest 450m time on Monday was posted by Horace, who was super impressive winning in 25.23 for Frank Hancock.
Horace, who took his record to four wins from eight races, is a son of Hancock's former brilliant sprinter Lady Abigail, who had 81 starts for 20 wins and 31 placings.
"She's got her mojo back'' declared trainer Donna Campbell after her bitch On The Rocks gave the Nowra 520m record a nudge in her all the way win in a heat of the GRNSW Country Challenge on Monday night.
On The Rocks clocked 29.50, just .04sec outside the course record shared by Winlock On Top and Awesome Catch.
"There is nothing official on paper but Nowra regulars told me after the race that On The Rocks' first split of 4.24sec was the fastest ever run there,'' Campbell said.
"On The Rocks won't race again before the June 26 Country Challenge final at Wentworth Park but will have a trial there because it's been a while since she raced at the track.
"She is going to have to be at her absolute peak because this is shaping up as a strong race, especially with dogs like Zipping Kyrgios and Zulu Warlord already qualified.
"Zipping Kyrgios is a super greyhound, he has always been fast but has learned so much and is now a proper race dog.
"Zulu Warlord is very fast early like On The Rocks but when he won at Bathurst from box one on Monday he stepped to the right as soon as he jumped.
"So I'm hoping On The Rocks draws inside Zulu Warlord in the Wenty final.''
