Australia's master trainer of stayers Robert Britton is involved with eight runners in Friday night's five heats of The Ladbrokes 715 at The Gardens and has revealed one of his lesser lights produced the quickest trial when his candidates had their first look at the Newcastle circuit.
"Wheel And Go, a dog I own which is trained by my son Tim, went fastest of them all, which surprised me,'' Britton said.
In heat one Britton's son Tim trains Play Nice (box four) while Robert owns First Picked (box eight) who is trained in WA by Chris Halse.
The Robert Britton-owned, Tim Britton-trained Fast Milkman will exit box eight in heat two, while in heat three Tim trains On The Off (box one).
Dirt Farmer (box one) will represent Tim Britton in heat four along with Wheel And Go (box two) and the former West Australian Couch Surfer (box eight), who is now trained in Victoria by Robert Britton.
Robert owns the Tim Britton-trained Cash It In, who has box two in heat five.
"I certainly have plenty of chances in the 715 but I'm not too sure about the real quality of my dogs,'' Robert Britton said.
"They are all handy city class performers without any of them being truly outstanding stayers.
"First Picked did finish third in the Miata over 715m at Cannington last week and she can show good early pace so long as she gets away cleanly.
"And Couch Surfer's Perth form is very good, he has won 11 from 21 starts.''
Wheel And Go, who stole the spotlight among Britton's trial candidates at The Gardens, has had 42 starts for 14 wins and 19 placings.
Wheel And Go looks to have struck form at the right time as after compiling a moderate record as a middle distance performer he has won each of his only three long-distance races in Melbourne.
He clocked a smart 41.69 winning by five lengths over 715m at Sandown on April 13, after scoring over 730m at The Meadows on March 18 and 25 in 42.90 and 42.80.
Each of Wheel And Go's wins as a stayer were in the best time of the night.
The five heat winners and three fastest runners-up from Friday night's heats will qualify for the $500,000 to the winner Ladbrokes 715 final at The Gardens on Saturday, May 6.
Murrurundi Boy, who won only two small bush sprints in his first 30 starts, notched his second win in three Wentworth Park appearances for his new trainer on Wednesday night.
Now trained at Karuah, near Newcastle, by Sam Rees, Murrurundi Boy came from fourth on the home bend to win a 520m fifth grade in 30.26 after scoring in 30.12 at Wentworth Park on March 22.
Rees, a retired stock and station agent, said after Wednesday's race: "I've only been training greyhounds for a few years but I used to have sheep dogs competing in sheep dog trials.
"Some of those sheep dogs I trained were so good they could put a fly into a bottle and a lot of the principles I learned with that breed I apply to training my greyhounds.''
Adam Campton was only mildly surprised when his sibling greyhounds Go Forward Layla and Go Forward Ralf landed a winning double in fast times at Bulli on Tuesday night.
Go Forward Layla, who had won once in eight races before tackling the Bulli 472m trip, rocketed over the journey in 26.23.
Her litter brother and kennelmate Go Forward Ralf went into his 472m race with just one win from 20 outings but he clocked a slick 26.36.
"Go Forward Layla didn't surprise me so much because she has always trialled good but reproduced that form in races,'' Campton said.
"At the same time they were both suited over 472m, as they are not short course greyhounds, they are 500 metre dogs.
"Tuesday's wins gave me my first double this year which was very welcome as I have been having a lean trot.''
