Lightning Sharp won just once in his first 64 races but on Saturday at Richmond notched his third successive win at three consecutive straight track meetings.
Owned and trained by Steve and Narelle Sharp, Lightning Sharp made his debut in October, 2021, and did not win his first race until April, 2023.
But the Sharps never considered selling Lightning Sharp, due to his perfect temperament.
Steve Sharp played 164 first grade rugby league matches for Parramatta Eels from 1979 to 1990 and was part of three grand final wins, but is now "hooked" on greyhound racing.
"Lightning Sharp's kennel name is Deedee because when Narelle and I picked him out as a six weeks old puppy he was considered by his breeder to be the "docile dimwit" of the litter, so his kennel name became Deedee,'' Steve said.
"While his siblings were tearing around he would just sit there and sure enough, in his first two races he took no part, he turned around and came back to me when the boxes opened.
"That's probably why when he won his first race in April last year he paid $318 on the TAB, which must be something of a record.
"We were attracted to greyhound racing by a dog called Sonny, who was the original face of the GRNSW greyhound adoption program, and Lightning Sharp not only looks like him but has the same gentle nature.
"When we were living on the south coast Narelle and I used to walk along a local beach with him and he didn't need a lead and collar, he just plodded along next to us.
"Lightning Sharp is so kind, he wouldn't bite a sandwich.
"But he won a Masters grade three at Richmond on June 15, a grade two a week later and a top grade Masters on Saturday.
"He loves racing up the straight and enjoys being out wide, I think he is claustrophobic because he doesn't like being crowded, he loves getting over to the outside and doing his own thing.''
Veteran trainer Ron Marsden won Friday night's GBOTA Welcome Maiden at Wentworth Park with Norma Said, who is remarkably, the first maiden greyhound he has ever brought to headquarters.
Norma Said was backed from $2.30 to $1.50 and led all the way, trouncing her six rivals by 11 lengths in 30.28.
"She had eight trials at various tracks before Friday night and I expected her to lead and win, believing she could run around the 30.20 mark,'' Marsden said.
Greyhounds trained by Marsden, a retired truck driver, invariably compile marvelous strike rates.
His former stars include Hardaway Titan, winner of 33 from 58 starts and Hardaway Harada, first past the post in 42 of his 90 races, while his current speedster Hardaway Chicago has been successful in 12 of 26 appearances.
