Amber Capper, who quit her hairdressing job to assist with her coal-mining husband Matt's team of a dozen greyhounds, has two heat-winning finalists in Thursday afternoon's Cessnock Trial Track Maiden at Muswellbrook.
Fastest heat winner was Mulwee Dreaming, zipping over the short course in 19.76 for trainer Meredith Verhagen, who secured a second finalist when Zip Me was runner-up in her heat behind Take The Skye.
Last week's Muswellbrook meeting was the most successful the Cappers have had, with Hurricane Huxley, the star of their kennel, scoring in a quick 19.47 over 336m to give them their first winning treble.
The Cappers live at Jerry's Plains, near Singleton, a tiny village made famous in greyhound racing as the base for Bill Barnett's string of top-class performers.
Bill Barnett owned the Lex Landers-trained Chariot Charm, who won the 1965 Group 1 National Derby at Wentworth Park, and was the owner-trainer of the great SEE YAH, whose succession of big race triumphs included victory in the 1987 Group 1 Paws Of Thunder, also at Wentworth Park.
Matt Capper explained: "My father Kevin Capper and Bill Barnett were great mates and my involvement with dogs goes back to those days.
"I was training 15 years ago but took a break due to work commitments in the mines.
"But I was keen to get back into the sport so started training again four years ago and as our team grew, my wife Amber resigned from her position as a ladies' hairdresser to help out.
"Now she has her own licence and is doing great.
"Her best greyhound has been Give Him Time, who won 11 races in 2022 and 2023 but Hurricane Huxley, who is named after four-year-old son, is currently the best in our kennel.
"He is a very fast animal but is still very green and still learning what it's all about.
"Hurricane Huxley is a litter brother to Toodles Jack, the Syd Swain-trained dog who won a heat of the Million Dollar Chase at Dubbo last Saturday night.''
