When Numb scored her third Wentworth Park win on Wednesday night she continued a successful association her owner-trainer Lakis Michael has enjoyed with fellow trainer and western districts breeder Dennis Barnes which stretches back a quarter of a century.
"It all started in 1997 when I bought a dog called Time Travels from Dennis for $2500,'' Michael recalled.
"When I started trialling Time Travels I called Dennis and told him he must have sold me the wrong dog.
"He insisted there had been no mistake but I replied that Time Travels had far more ability than a $2500 greyhound.
"Sure enough Time Travels not only won for me at his first start, at Dapto in November 1997, but went on to win 17 races and fill 19 placings.
"Naturally I continued getting dogs from Dennis and early in 2018 I was anxious to buy a dog puppy from a litter he had bred by Brett Lee from All Too Fancy.
"Dennis told me the only youngster available was a bitch called Sweet Nangar, who had already had two races, finishing fourth and seventh in maiden events at Wentworth Park.
"Despite her having two unplaced runs he suggested I get her and on his recommendation, I bought Sweet Nangar for $8000.
"Sweet Nangar went on to win 21 from 47 races for me and has become the mother of Numb, whose Wentworth Park win on Wednesday was her eighth from 25 appearances.''
Numb clocked 29.99 for the 520m on Wednesday, just .09sec outside her fastest Wentworth Park figures posted on February 11.
Slowest Time at Wentworth Park on Wednesday was the 30.93 recorded by Taken Prince in a roughly run 520m maiden race, but his owner-trainer Keith Pedrana remains confident the dog has a future.
Taken Prince was slowly away and was hampered in the early stages but took advantage of a scrimmage on the top turn to sweep to the lead turning for home before coming away to score by five lengths.
"At his first run on the circle Taken Prince clocked 24.70 in a post to post trial at Wenty and in his first 520m trial there he recorded 30.30,'' Pedrana said.
"He was having his first race on Wednesday and until then had not been in a full field.
"I bought Taken Prince and his unraced litter brother King Of Princes for $18,000 in a package deal after they had been educated.''
Taken Prince is a son of Taken King, an unknown sire whose name in Wednesday's racebook had breeding pundits scratching their heads.
But Andy Lord, whose wife JODIE is the leading trainer in NSW, shed some light on the breeding by pointing out: "JODIE trained Taken King and he was a very fast dog.
"At his first 720m race at Wentworth Park in September, 2018, he clocked sensational Time of 41.86, unheard of figures for a rookie stayer.
"Unfortunately he broke down not long after that and was retired.''
