This year's Wentworth Park Gold Cup winner Zipping Niseko ran a slashing trial for next month's Sydney Cup when she gave the flying Springview Magic a start and a beating over 520m at Dapto on Saturday night.
The Jason Magri-trained Zipping Niseko had not raced since early July but Magri said: "She has been trialling well up my straight at home.
"I expected her to go well fresh even though 520m is a bit short for her so am rapt she won clearly and clocked 29.82.
"Zipping Niseko will now be stepped up to middle distances to build her up for the 720m Sydney Cup.
"Heats of that race are three weeks away so all being well she should be ready for that.''
Magri landed a winning double at Dapto, with Zipping Ventura powering home at his first 600m test to win running away in a moderate 35.11.
Zipping Niseko shared 520m time honours for Saturday night with the consistent Garry Edwards-trained Marvin's Girl, who led throughout and just lasted to defeat Additional Asset in 29.82.
Marvin's Girl's win took her record to eight wins and eight placings from 18 races, with just two unplaced performances.
A decision by trainer Kim Mulrine to give Master Key a break from racing after he had been "bashed around'' in his first two starts paid off when the youngster bolted away with Saturday night's Dapto Sportsbet Maiden.
Making his first appearance for six weeks, the 27 month old Master Key led throughout to win by eight lengths, covering the 520m in 30.33.
Master Key had failed to beat a rival home at Goulburn on July 9 and again at Temora on August 8 but Mulrine said: "He got bashed around in those races so I gave him some time off to forget all about it
"A few weeks back I said to my husband Andrew how well Master Key was looking again so we nominated him for this Dapto race and he went super.
"We trained his dam Sapphire Madam who won 20 from 64 starts but could only contest short course races due to on-going injuries, mainly toe problems.
"Her first litter to Banjo Boy includes Gold Azalea, who won for us at Dapto last month in 29.83 while Master Key is by Keybow.''
Nordic Force, another son of Keybow, continued his love affair with the Dapto circuit when he ran down Twisted Cuddles and Spots Like Forty to win over 520m on Saturday in 30.03.
Each of the Susan Sundstrom-trained Nordic Force's three wins have now been at Dapto, and Saturday's time matched the dog's previous best figures posted on April 29.
"Actually tonight's time was probably more meritorious because there was a howling head-wind on the back straight,'' Sundstrom said.
"My husband David, who has had greyhounds since 1958, and I are at Brisbane Grove, 3km out of Goulburn, but because of covid we have not been able to race at Dapto, which is Nordic Force's favourite track.
"But now Wentworth Park is to reopen next month we will also head there with Nordic Force, because it is a similar type of track to Dapto.
"Nordic Force's dam Stilton Shiraz fractured a metacarpal bone winning a heat of the Dapto Puppy Classic and this is her first litter.''
Super Estrella made a one-act affair of Saturday's 729m GRNSW Stayers Series, leading throughout to win comfortably in 42.83.
The David Smith-trained greyhound's time was just .05sec outside the course record, held by Smith-owned and Peter Mantach-trained White Sox Ethics.
Saturday's top grade 297m event was taken out by Sizzle Fly, who led all the way to beat arch rival Hardaway Harada in a flying 16.81.
Before the race trainer Andrew Bell declared Sizzle Fly would relish his box seven draw, saying: "He usually begins faster from outside boxes and he prefers being on the outside of his rivals rather than being squashed up on the rails.''
Bell's prediction was spot on as Sizzle Fly jumped first and was chased all the way by Hardaway Harada, who exited box one and was seeking his 38th win in 73 starts.
