Dave Richardson believes Barsandi can only get better with the daughter of his former top class stayer Sandave Sapphire winning Thursday night's Albion Park $40,000 TAB Origin Distance Series at only her third long distance start.
Barsandi is just 27 months old and her slick 41.98 win took her record to 11 wins from just 20 races.
Richardson, 72, and his wife Sandra, who breed and rear puppies on their 45ha property at The Pinnacles, 15 minutes from Grafton, train Barsandi but sold her as a three months old puppy for $6000.
Chris Kepreotes, a Newcastle tour bus operator, formed a syndicate to race Barsandi, who gave Richardson his third big training success on Thursday night.
"Thursday's race and the Black Top were each worth $40,000 to the winner and the Gold Cup was worth $25,000 but I earned nearly as much when my dog Aussie Venture won a semi-final of thr NSW St Leger, now called the Paws Of Thunder, at Wentworth Park in 1987.
"I was so confident about Aussie Venture's chances that night so had $500 on him at 33/1 ($34) and won over $16,000 on the punt.
"Aussie Venture went on to be runner-up to Bill Barnett's dog SEE YAH in the St Leger final.''
The Richardsons are confident there are plenty of good times ahead with Barsandi's older half sister Sandave Diva, a winner of 13 from 39 starts, having just been mated with Flying Ricciardo.
"Kristy Sultana, Flying Ricciardo's trainer, has asked me if she can buy one of Sandave Diva's pups so that is a pretty good endoresement,'' Dave Richardson said.
Kooringa Lucy will have her final hit-out before Saturday night's GRNSW Challenge when she tackles Fire Legend and company in tonight's 450m feature event at Grafton.
"She has had a few races at Wentworth Park and has won there so there was no need to bring her back to Sydney before the Challenge final,'' trainer Mitch Northfield said.
"Kooringa Lucy has not trialled at the new Grafton track and I haven't been there yet but while everyone seems to be raving about it, I'll let you know what I think after tonight,'' Northfield quipped.
Kooringa Lucy, who qualified for the Country Challenge with a win at Casino, won over 520m at Albion Park last Thursday in a sizzling 29.62 for the 520m, just .01sec outside the best time of the night posted by Jungle Deuce in a match race.
The marvelously consistent Kooringa Lucy has had 51 starts for 23 wins and 15 placings, and her presence adds yet another layer of class to Saturday's GRNSW Challenge.
Mick Hardman, whose dog Zulu Warlord qualified for Saturday's Wentworth Park final by winning at Bathurst, said: "I didn't go to Albion Park for any of the big races thinking my greyhound would find it easier in the Challenge, but I reckon it has turned out to be stronger than any of the Brisbane events.''
