Group one winning trainer Troy Donaldson passed away a year ago at just 38, but his legacy continues with his partner Chrystal Hensing taking up the lead and collar and steering Bones McCoy to victory in 16 of 27 races.
Hensing has trained 16 winners this year and now two of Troy's friends and former colleagues in the Royal Australian Navy are making an impact on the sport.
Jack Stewart, now a builder, and Luke Crawford, these days an electrician, met Troy Donaldson when they were in the Navy together.
They own the aptly named Impress Troy, winner of 10 from 24 starts for Hunter Valley trainer Jason Mackay, who also trains for them the even more talented Impress Shades, who has won 12 from 31 races, and Impress Lleyton, successful in 12 of 23 appearances.
Stewart and Crawford also race Impress Patch, a winner of five from a dozen outings for trainer Michelle Sultana, aand the Peter Sims-trained Impress Us, whose record stands at eight wins from 20 starts.
"But when the ban on the sport was proposed Luke got out of the game.
"After greyhound racing was given the go ahead to continue, I was keen to become a breeder and an owner so talked Luke into coming in with me.
"We paid $8000 for a fast Cosmic Rumble bitch called Effective Comet, and when mated with Fernando Bale she became the mother of Impress Shades, Impress Patch and Impress Us.
"Central Coast breeder and owner Lorraine Atchison agreed to a pup exchange deal with us for her brood bitch Exciting, and from that greyhound's mating with Barcia Bale we are racing Impress Troy and Impress Lleyton.
"Luke and I are in this for the long haul and we have Mepunga Frankie, who won 11 races and is potentially a top brood bitch, while Effective Comet has another litter which are breaking in city class.''
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Sydney-based owner and breeder Joe Satti is still celebrating the win by his dog Utah Ghost in last Sunday's Victorian Straight Track Championship and the dog will now tackle heats of the 350m Healesville Cup on September 5.
Utah Ghost, who won three of his first four races at Bulli while in Satti's kennels, is a litter brother to Utah Blues, who reached the final of the group 1 Australian Cup for Satti and Victorian trainer Tim Britton.
Britton, the 31-year-old son of crack trainer Robert Britton, is also considering starting Utah Ghost in the Waterloo Cup at Longwood.
The Britton family has a history of success for NSW owners in the Waterloo Cup, which was first held in 1873.
Two decades ago Robert Britton won the final at Longwood, this year's venue, with Taye Diggs, owned in NSW by Sarah Monaghan.
"Then I won it again at Lang Lang a few years back at Lang Lang with Zambora Blueboy, who was owned by Sydney's Charlie Azzopardi,'' Robert Britton said.
An old wrist injury means Utah Ghost is now a far better dog up the straight than around the circle but his litter brothers Utah Blues, recovering from a dropped back muscle, and Utah Express, have returned to owner Joe Satti's Eschol Park kennels to begin a new campaign.
Utah Blues and Utah Express have won 19 races and like the Straight Track Championship winner Utah Ghost, are sons of Joe Satti's bitch Utah Miss, who won 19 races.
