Time For Molly To Step Up

By Jeff Collerson
Nangar Molly achieved a 50 per cent winning strike rate over the Wentworth Park 520m trip when she won on Saturday night but despite that will now be switched to middle distance racing.

Part-owner Michael Curtale, whose brother Geoff shares ownership and trains the greyhound, said: "She is remarkable because when she clocked her fastest time of 29.95 winning on Saturday, Nangar Molly was having her third race in a week.

"I was a bit concerned about that but on Saturday morning when we got Nangar Molly out of her kennel she was bouncing around so much we knew she was ready to go.

"We are going to step her up in distance, probably over 622m at Richmond, because she jumps up in grade now in Wenty Park 520m races.''

Geoff Curtale added: "We bought Nangar Molly for $9000 from Dennis Barnes, her breeder, but she has repaid us three times over and is still only 23 months old.

"And being from Dennis' wonderful dam line she should make a good broodbitch when her racing days are over.

"Although Nangar Molly won from box one on Saturday, I still consider her far better positioned drawn wide.

"I gave her a good chance on Saturday because in her favour was having a couple of wide runners outside her in boxes two and three.''

Noelene Holloway ignored the advice of experts when she obtained a third litter from her brood bitch Fascinate Mary and when Fascinate Trump led throughout to win first up at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night he boosted the earnings of his dam's third and final litter to over $180,000.

Fascinate Trump's slick 29.96 performance, achieved without the benefit of a trial on the track, came just 10 days after his litter brother Fascinate Donald set a new 320m track record at Richmond in posting 17.94.

Owner-breeder Holloway took a gamble when she mated Fascinate Mary with Aussie Infrared to breed those youngsters as her broodbitch's previous two litters were moderate performers.

"Many breeding experts had told me that if a bitch doesn't produce something good from her first two litters there is not much point in breeding from her again,'' Holloway said.

"Yet Fascinate Mary's third litter is easily her best, as they also include WP winner Fascinate Mel, who has earned $48,680, Super Aussie ($27,785), Fascinate Aussie ($26,685), Northern Territory trained Quick Shadow, who has won 17 from 33 races and $23,280, Super Edition ($14,500) and Fascinate Model ($5010).

"They are only 29 months old and while I doubt Fascinate Donald will run a strong 520m, Fascinate Trump went super over that distance at Wentworth Park on Wednesday.

"Fascinate Mary was only a short course bitch but had brilliant early speed and won 22 races over distances between 280m and 400m.''