Trio Of Clowns will be given a crack at the January 11 heats of the group one Ladbrokes National Derby following his runaway win in fast time at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Trio Of Clowns, who joined the kennels of Sam Sultana after a winning hat-trick at Temora, was backed from $4 to $2.40 and took the lead entering the back straight before speeding over the 520m in 29.57.
The dog's new owner Brad Canty, who also races the top class sprinter Rinsed The Lot, said: "I was pleasantly surprised when they bet $4 about Trio Of Clowns because I thought he was perfectly drawn in box eight and was a good thing.
"Sam Sultana, who has trained dozens of dogs for me over the years, recommended that I buy him about a month ago and now the dog will tackle the National Derby series.''
Syd Swain won the 2012 National Derby, then run at The Gardens, with Sure As, and has an outstanding candidate for this year's classic with Zig Zag Man, who won in a slashing 29.49 at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Despite colliding early with co-pacemaker Grand Blazer, Zig Zag Man bolted away from the catching pen to win by seven lengths.
Trainer Syd Swain said: "He won't race again before the Derby heats on January 11.
"He is fit enough now and I've got him where I want him to be so I will just give Zig Zag Man a post-to-post slip at Wenty to top him off for the Derby heats.''
Zig Zag Man's 520m figures of 29.49 were matched later in the night when the Courtney Barnes-trained Zipping Chaplin took out the top grade 520m event.
Spring General overcame a frustrating sequence of poor draws to lead all the way from box four in Saturday's opening race, covering the 520m in 29.95.
In his past seven starts Spring General, a "desperate" railer, has not drawn closer to the fence than box four, and trainer Scott Board said: "He just can't seem to draw a decent box but he got away well tonight and was able to cross and lead.
"Spring General is out of a bitch I trained called Spring Barty, named after the champion tennis player Ash Barty.
"Spring Barty had tremendous ability and no greyhound has ever bettered her maiden time win over 520m at Bathurst four years ago when she clocked 29.48.
"She won seven of only 18 races but had to be retired because she kept breaking down.''
Nicko Ace, a $34 outsider, sprang a surprise in a 520m fifth grade on Saturday when he led all the way to defeat $4.40 second favourite West Rock Casey by a head with the $1.28 favourite Brooklyn Brute just under a length away third.
Trainer Cliff Bell was not surprised at Nicko Ace's win, pointing out that the dog had relished his wide box seven draw.
"He won in fast time from box eight at Dapto on December 19 and he loves an outside alley,'' Bell said.
"When Nicko Ace draws near the rails, he wants to move wide as soon as the boxes open.
"His litter brother and kennelmate Nicko Jack has just been named the 2024 Nowra Greyhound of the Year, but Nicko Ace is the fastest of the quartet from this litter that I am training.''
Late Night News maintained his unbeaten Wentworth Park 720m record when he overcame a slow start to win by 11 lengths on Saturday in 41.78, just .06sec slower than his brilliant debut long distance win on December 14.
