DENNIS Barnes completed a hat-trick of victories in the annual Grafton Maiden Classic when Nangar Rocket ran down fastest qualifier Lee's Tiger in Wednesday night's Fair Dinkum Builds CV Sheds final.
Barnes won the final with Nangar Range in 2016 and with Nangar Warrior 12 months later and has now taken out this year's $15,000 event on the new Grafton track with a fourth generation greyhound from his family's breeding line.
Nangar Rocket is by Feral Franky from Little Nangar, who won 24 races and is a daughter of Fancy Liza, who was produced by Sweet Fancy, another greyhound Barnes trained.
On Wednesday Lee's Tiger dwelt at the start but mustered speed to lead from the first turn to the half way mark, where Nangar Rocket had cruised into second position before storming home to cover the 440m in 25.44.
Before the race Barnes had declared Nangar Rocket his best chance, commenting: "He is perfectly drawn in box eight but tends to be a slow beginner.''
Nangar Rocket was indeed last to leave the boxes in the final but made full use of his outside draw, sweeping around the field to join Lee's Tiger at the top of the straight before racing clear.
The "old marvel" Fire Legend took out the Village Green Hotel Sprinters Cup final at Grafton on Wednesday night, defeating heavily backed favourite Typhoon Sammy in 25.31 for the 440m.
Fire Legend drew box four but settled in second position and hit the front near the home bend to notch his 45th win in 107 starts, lifting the April, 2018 whelping's earnings to $237,855.
BEFORE Wednesday night's Masters race at WP trainer Luke Azzopardi expressed his hope that hot favourite Royal Emgrand would "at least run a place.''
"He is $50 short of winning $100,000 in prizemoney and he has been such a great dog, who has won a dozen races at WP despite missing 11 months of his career due to setbacks as a youngster,'' Azzopardi said.
Royal Emgrand did a lot better than "run a place" by scoring a tearaway nine lengths win in 29.95, second fastest time of the night and boosting his earnings to nearly $104,000.
WAGGA's Jack Strutt is keen to become a greyhound trainer and the 24-year-old university student took his dad Paul's greyhound Stagger Out Lee to Wentworth Park on Wednesday night and went home a winner.
Before the race Paul Strutt said: "Jack loves travelling to different tracks with our dogs and took Stagger Out Lee to Melbourne when she finished second at The Meadows on July 6.''
After Wednesday's Sydney win, Jack said: "I love the greyhounds but it's been a bit tricky because I am in the final six months of a six years university course doing law, economics and finance.
"My aim is probably to work in commercial law when I get my degree.''
