No Brenton, No Worry For Hunter

By Jeff Collerson
Despite contesting a Masters race Fernando Hunter clocked fastest time of the night at Wentworth Park on March 4 and equalled Saturday night's quickest figures with another runaway win in veteran class.

Trained by Michelle Sultana for champion jockey Brenton Avdulla, Fernando Hunter trailed kennelmate Connections to the back straight before swooping on the lead and winning by five lengths in 29.65.

Avdulla handled Fernando Hunter last week but was riding in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on Saturday so was unable to take his dog to the boxes.

But trainer Michelle Sultana said: "Brenton phoned me with instructions on how I was to handle Fernando Hunter.

"He said the most important thing was to whisper in the dog's ear when we got to the boxes.''


Fernando Hunter's time on Saturday was matched by the Jason Magri-trained Inside Dart, who scored his first Wentworth Park win in four appearances when he came from third early to run down Agent Nevada.

Only a tick slower than Fernando Hunter and Inside Dart on Saturday was Came And Went, part-owned by former rugby league international Terry Hill and trained by Darren Sultana.

The former SA-trained greyhound led throughout in 29.66, just .11sec wide of his personal best WP figures.

Fast Reason, making his Wentworth Park debut for new trainer Peter Lagogiane, showed great speed from the boxes to lead clearly around the first turn before winning his race on Saturday in 29.72.

After the race Lagogiane said: "That was Fast Reason's first 520m test in three months so he will be all the better for the run.

"Although his second split was a terrific 13.74, he only ran home in 11.90 but I reckon he will get home in 11.70 next time he races here.''


Fast times were the order of the night with Kerry Drynan's Reflections notching her seventh Wentworth Park win with a 29.77 all-the-way performance.

Reflections sealed the win with a slick first split of 5.42 but looked in trouble when hot favourite Agland Luai challenged her on the home bend.

"I thought Agland Luai had her at the top of the straight but she kicked back nicely,'' trainer Kerry Drynan said of Reflections' performance.

"She had not raced at Wentworth Park for a month but I freshened her up a bit and she contested the Richmond Oaks heat and final at her past couple of starts.''

Charisma Girl contested 16 short course provincial races before launching her Wentworth Park career but recorded her third win in five 520m events there on Saturday night.

Charisma Girl came from a distant third early to win by a neck from Winlock Piper in 30.46.

After the race trainer Denice Warren said: "The reason I was so long bringing Charisma Girl to Wentworth Park is because it took me forever to get her to run 520m.

"In fact at the beginning of her career I didn't think she had much of a future, but she has kept improving.''