Red Ball Rocket Notches Second Wenty Win

By Jeff Collerson
Red Ball Rocket's time was the slowest of the night but the Jeff Eaton owned and trained dog became the meeting's best bargain result after notching his second Wentworth Park win on Saturday.

Red Ball Rocket, who went into Saturday's 520m fifth grade with a win and five placings from a dozen Wentworth Park appearances, came from fourth early and second on the back straight to run down Winsome Shelby in 30.18.

After the race Jeff Eaton said: "Box one helped Red Ball Rocket tonight, he was very well drawn.

"I bred this dog from a bitch called Zipping Oaks, who I bought for only $1500.

"She had been in a couple of different kennels when my son Scott advised me to buy her as a brood bitch proposition.

"I bought Zipping Oaks and put her into training and she won at Wentworth Park for us.

"Now she has produced Red Ball Rocket who has now won $25,000 in prizemoney.''


Saturday night's fastest time was posted by the Sam Sultana-trained Crackerjack Boom, who reeled off a slick first split of 5.42 on the way to a five lengths' win in 29.80 in the top grade 520m of the night.

Crackerjack Boom had clocked 5.44 and 29.81 in winning at his sole previous Wentworth Park engagement on July 1, and prior to Saturday night's win had finished third to final placegetter Frisky Felon in a heat of the Black Top at Ladbrokes Gardens.

After Minnie Finn and her daughter-in-law Courtney Barnes won races one and three on Saturday with Charlee's Tommy and Zipping Caleb, Finn declared being in early races had contributed to their greyhounds' successes.

Charlee's Tommy, owned and trained by Barnes, led all way in a fast 29.85 in race one while Zipping Caleb gave mother-in-law Finn victory two races later in 29.88.

"Charlee's Tommy and Zipping Caleb tend to play up in the kennels on race night so being in those early races helped them,'' Finn said.

"Charlee's Tommy is particularly anxious in the kennels but she finished a good fifth in a harder race at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night and I think that hard took the edge off her getting too excited as far as kennelling went tonight.''


John Grief won at Wentworth Park in July with Anjo Typhoon but has always maintained that dog's litter brother and kennelmate Anjo Tornado was faster.

After being placed in just two of eight Wentworth Park starts, Anjo Tornado finally justified Grief's belief with an all-the-way win in a slick 29.92 in a 520m fifth grade on Saturday night.

Anjo Tornado, who has trialled 29.80 at Wentworth Park, won easily from the Victorian visitor Common Step, who produced an outstanding performance to finish second after missing the jump and being checked soon after the start.

At start number 101 trainer Michelle Sultana's favourite dog, rising five-year-old Aston Ulysses, scored an easy win in Saturday's 520m Masters Stakes in 29.96.

Aston Ulysses and runner-up Zippy Tesla now loom as two of the main contenders for the $100,000 to the winner Masters Meteor series, to be held at Wentworth Park on October 4 and 13.