Tiny Sweet Bee, the "I've been everywhere greyhound", zoomed into contention for Saturday's heats of Group 3 Simply Limelight New Sensation, with a slick 29.78 trial over 520m at Wentworth Park on Thursday night.
Sweet Bee, who led until near the home bend before finishing third in the group 2 Richmond Oaks final on February 28, posted moderate early splits of 5.60 and 14.00 on Thursday but ran home in a powerful 11.67.
Trainer Michelle Sultana said: "She usually displays very good early pace so I'm happy with that time.
Sweet Bee has won six of 17 starts across four different states
"Her owner, Brayden Finn, lives in Melbourne, and he raced the former champion stayer Sweet It Is.
"He sent Sweet Bee to me for the Richmond Oaks and decided to leave her here for the New Sensation, which looks a good race for her.''
The much-travelled Sweet Bee, who tips the scales at around 25kg, has won at Melbourne's Sandown, Adelaide's Angle Park, and been placed at Perth's Cannington along with western Sydney's Richmond.
Shaun Flaherty took time out from his role as the manager of jockeys, including the highly successful Mitchell Bell and Jenny Duggan, to train his first Wentworth Park winner on Thursday night.
Flaherty, who has ''trained a greyhound or two'' as a hobby for 15 years, prepared Vista Argon to score possibly the easiest win seen at WP, with the dog leading throughout to take out a 720m fifth grade by just over 20 lengths.
Trained until late last year by Melbourne legends Tom and Andrea Dailly, Vista Argon was then purchased by Sydney's Sam Mayer, proprietor of Mayer Fine Foods, one of the Australia's leading food importers since 1957.
"Vista Argon was originally trained here by Caitlyn and Ricky Brewer but when they moved recently to Woodstock, near Cowra, there were more opportunities for the dog to be in a kennel closer to where long-distance races were programmed,'' Flaherty said.
"The dog was placed in one of three middle distances races last month but was frustrated and not suited by the bend starts which are usually part of 600m events.
"He had been crying out for a 720m race and when Thursday's fifth grade for greyhounds with zero to three wins popped up, it was the opportunity I had been waiting for with him.''
Vista Argon will next go around at Bulli on Tuesday over the 590m.
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Western Australia's sprint sensation Curious Georgia, owned by Sydney-based "Mr Boxing" Ben Damon, is being set for the $40,000 Ladbrokes Thunderbolt at Grafton on June 21.
Curious Georgia scored her 19th win in 40 starts when she broke the 381m record at Perth's Cannington on March 5 and trainer Shayne Williams is now contemplating a trip to NSW to prepare her for the 350m Thunderbolt.
"I bought Curious Georgia as a pup but although she won six of her first 10 starts in NSW, she was never going to be able to win over 520m at Wentworth Park,'' owner Damon said.
"She just could not run 520m and there seemed to be more opportunities for a bitch like her in WA.
Curious Georgia is a daughter of Superior Panama x Rockin' Georgia
"Along with the 381m at Cannington, she flies over the 400m trip at Mandurah, where she was beaten a lip in the final of the group 2 Birthday Cup.
"Curious Georgia has earned over $82,000, pretty good for a short course greyhound, and a series like the Thunderbolt looks perfect for her because she never misses the kick, she is a foolproof beginner.''
Damon, who hosts major fight telecasts world-wide, has long been a devoted greyhound racing fan.
"Best dog I've had until now was the Sam Sultana-trained Bell's Pace, who won 16 from 33 races and was equal favourite for the group 1 Hobart Thousand until he broke down on the eve of the race,'' he said.
