The enigmatic Road Spike scored only his second win on Monday at Bathurst but for trainer Paul Roach it was cause to celebrate as the success capped a long six months battle to have the talented sprinter back on track.
Road Spike came from second early to win over 520m at Bathurst, scoring by 10 lengths in 29.66, just .42sec outside the track record set by Paul Braddon's great speedster Falcon's Fury in January, 2018.
Road Spike was having his first start since January 15 when he incurred the displeasure of the stewards after finishing a close second to SERIOUS Object in a heat of the group 1 National Derby at Wentworth Park.
The stewards report noted: "Road Spike lost focus on the lure soon after entering the straight, looking inwardly at SERIOUS Object, and repeated the action near the finish line.''
Road Spike was barred from racing at Wentworth Park for 28 days and required to trial satisfactorily before resuming but Paul Roach opted for the patient approach.
"I gradually got his mind back on the job and before winning at Bathurst last Monday he trialled 29.60 for the 520m there,'' Roach said.
"For the best part of six months I've had him running around with the pups on my property at Lidsdale and he hasn't put a foot wrong.
"There is a one to two wins race at Bathurst on next Monday which looks a suitable event for him and all being well I will then get him to Richmond before heading back to Wentworth Park.''
Road Spike's record stands at two wins, two seconds and a third from six starts, but the dog is unquestionably among the quickest in NSW.
He virtually cantered up to the tearaway leader SERIOUS Object in his National Derby heat but through his waywardness cost himself a place in the final.
Mickey Doo's outstanding last-to-first performance in a 400m maiden at Maitland on Monday was timely for Luke Murrell's syndicate of owners and trainer Mark Davidson.
Their classy stayer Let's See, whose 11 wins included a sizzling 41.98 720m effort at Wentworth Park in late December, broke a hock at Sandown on May 27.
"She earned just on $62,000 but won't race again so it was fitting that we had picked Mickey Doo up only 24 hours before Let's See got hurt in Melbourne,'' trainer Mark Davidson said.
"Before winning at MaitlandMickey Doo had been flying in trials, he clocked 22.25 in a 400m hit-out there and broke the 350m record in a trial at Grafton.
"There was a little hiccup at Grafton which caused him to miss that carnival so I went back to Maitland, where he had been winning trials against his kennelmate Ritza William, a winner of nine races.
"I was stunned when Mickey Doo made such a mess of the start last Monday but he certainly gave his owners, including a new member of Luke Murrell's group, a publican from Stockton, a huge thrill.
"To win easily and clock 22.68 after leaving the boxes a long last was a big effort but I'm just hoping he learns what it's all about.
"Mickey Doo is two years and two months old yet still seems very puppy-ish but he has a motor and showed what he can do on Monday.''
Mickey Doo's win was part of a winning treble for Davidson, as he also won a 450m event with Ritza William in a tidy 25.14 and another 400m race with Aston Rapide in a slick 22.39.
"My only previous winning treble was two years ago at Gosford so it was a thrill to get my first set of three winners at a Maitland meeting,'' Davidson said.
