Former Victorian Crowdza Dazzled gave his new owner-trainer Stuart Hazlett a rapid return for his purchase with a brilliant first-up win at Bulli on Wednesday night.
Crowdza Dazzled trailed heavily backed pacemaker Go Wild Bella to the home turn but finished powerfully to win running away in a sizzling 22.26 for the 400m.
Crowdza Dazzled won five of seven Victorian short course races on circular tracks before being bought six weeks ago by Hazlett.
"He wasn't a cheapie but considering how good his form was he was reasonably priced,'' Hazlett said.
"In his first trial for me he clocked a mediocre 20.09 over 350m at Goulburn but he pulled up sore.
"When he recovered I trialled him over 400m at Bulli and while he recorded 22.61 I must admit to being disappointed.
"But the run on the track obviously improved him because Crowdza Dazzled won his race in 22.26, despite getting onto the heels of the pacemaker at the half-way mark.
"I reckon with an uninterrupted run he might have got down to 22.10 so if he is able to eventually get 500m I have an exciting dog on my hands.''
Ron Bell, the Newcastle trainer who won the Wentworth Park premiership in 2012, is back winning races with Gas Flame taking his tally to three wins and four placings from his past 10 starts with victory at Maitland last Monday.
After ending 2010 and 2011 WP title winner Andy Lord's premiership streak, Bell won 463 races between 2013 and 2017 but the winners suddenly stopped coming.
"I didn't cut back but good dogs were no longer joining my kennels,'' Bell said.
"I have only four in work at present and none are smart enough to race in Sydney, but I'd love to get back to where I was a few years ago.''
Bell, 70, was a key member of Newcastle rugby league's under 19 side until a severe back injury destroyed his football career.
"When I left hospital three weeks after an operation to remove two discs from my spine, I was told I needed to undergo constant, long periods of walking,'' Bell recalled.
"I figured if I was going to walk several kilometres daily I might as well take a greyhound with me so after Silent Mandingo won at WYONG at his 13th start, I landed my first metropolitan race with Tanelorn at Harold Park in 1983.''
Each of the dogs in Bell's kennels are racing within the next week, beginning with maiden sprinter Mo'Orea Pearl at LADBROKES GARDENS on Friday and Gas Flame, Piggins and Teahupo'O Pearl at Maitland on Monday.
Mo'Orea Pearl and Teahupo'O Pearl, who won at LADBROKES GARDENS in April, were produced by Bell's former smart bitch Tahiti Pearl, a winner of 14 races for the trainer between 2016 and 2018.
