Just one of Pigeon's Desire's 22 races has been at Goulburn but the new Temora track record holder is set to return to the Lilac City course for the heats of the 350m Goulburn Workers Club Fireball on October 25.
That win took Pigeon's Desire's record to 13 wins, four seconds and a third, with all but a Goulburn second placing being recorded at Temora.
Trainer Terry O'Keefe is setting Pigeon's Desire for the $25,000 to the winner Fireball final on November 1 following Wednesday's blistering 18.48 win over 336m at Temora.
O'Keefe has paid Pigeon's Desire the ultimate compliment, declaring the dog his fastest in his 56 years as a trainer.
The 86-year-old O'Keefe said: "I bought Pigeon's Desire as a four-month-old puppy for $4,000 from his breeder Michael Hugo.
"At the same time, I also purchased Pigeon's Desire's sister Scarlet's Desire for the same price, and she also won over 336m at Temora on Wednesday, clocking 18.76."
"Michael Hugo didn't go home empty-handed on Wednesday either as he owns Ita's Chance, from the same litter as my pair, and who also won over 330m for trainer Jack Roy.''
Although Pigeon's Desire went to the line powerfully at Temora, O'Keefe does not believe the dog is capable of running 500m.
"Probably my best 500m dog has been Brent's Desire, which was trained for me in the mid-1980s by Sydney's Brian Barrington,'' O'Keefe said.
Although the Goulburn Fireball is a short course race, it takes a quality greyhound to win the event, as evidenced by the 2021 victory of Sharron and Ray Webster's Father Rick.
He has since gone on to earn over $320,000 and win a dozen 520m races at Wentworth Park.
Little Cliffy, described by owner-trainer Ian Rose as "the worst ever box dog" put his name in the record books with a 30.38 win over 525m at Taree last Wednesday.
No longer tiny at 34kg, Little Cliffy jumped sixth in a field of seven before his comfortable win, his sixth in 20 starts.
"When he came out second last on Wednesday, that was the best he has ever jumped,'' Rose said.
Now in his 46th year as an owner, breeder and trainer, Ian Rose bred Little Cliffy from Flying Ella, whose first litter to Sennachie has been outstanding.
Little Cliffy's siblings include the Vic Sultana-trained Foreign Capital, a winner of 12 from 23 races including blistering a 29.37 Wentworth Park 520m win and a fast 26.00 victory at Bulli.
Others in the litter are smart Victorian bitch Rusty Raccoon, a recent winner at The Meadows, Night Agent, who has won three races, and Banshee Queen, successful in four of nine appearances.
"When he was born Little Cliffy was on the market for $4,000 but after a prospective buyer didn't follow through I decided to keep him,'' Rose said.
"He was my favourite anyway because while he was the weed of the litter, hence his name, there was something about his style that I liked.
"I had moved to Moorland, between Taree and Port Macquarie, expecting nearby Wauchope to become a TAB track, so when that didn't eventuate the construction of Taree, which is an amazing setup, was a good result for me.
"Little Cliffy has trialled 30.02 at Wentworth Park and I'm confident he can break 30sec, but his box manners are so bad I have my doubts about him being able to win races there.''
