Both Frank Hurst and Peter Lagogiane once earned a living painting houses but the now highly succesful professional trainers are poised to win Wentworth Park's most famous sprint and Sydney's biggest long distance race on Saturday night.
Good Odds Cobber, trained by Hurst, has come up with an ideal box one draw in the $300,000 to the winner Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg, while Lagogiane's Max Capacity has also drawn perfectly on the rails in the $75,000 Farrell's Association Cup.
It would be hard to imagine a greyhound in a group one final having a better draw than Good Odds Cobber, as he has recorded nine wins and two placings from 11 appearances wearing the red rug.
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On top of that Good Odds Cobber has the luxury of having Reality Best, a slow beginner, in box two, and the wide running Gets Late Early in three.
It seems only an out of character bad start can bring Good Odds Cobber unstuck.
His veteran trainer became involved in greyhound racing as a 15-year-old through his family living next door to a Granville boarding house owned by Sep Gollan, a legendary dog trainer of the 50s and 60s.
Good Odds Cobber
Gollan had secured a key to the nearby Rosehill racecourse and when he "slipped'' his dogs down the track's home straight, teenager Hurst acted as their catcher and became the trainer's assistant.
At 20 Hurst bought his first greyhound, Imparasun, who won only a couple of small races, but he landed his first big race winner when Rush Of Gold took out the Dapto Oaks two decades ago.
Toughest opponents for Hurst's champion on Saturday night look to be fastest semi-final winner Power And Glory, who has box six, and Jungle Johnny, who chased home Good Odds Cobber in the semis, but has a horror box four draw.
Power And Glory won in 29.23, .12sec faster than Good Odds Cobber, but while trainer Ken Burnett is happy with his dog's wide draw, he is concerned about the pair of front running bitches drawn in five and seven.
"There are two speed greyhounds, Lakeview Emily and Taormina, drawn either side of Power And Glory, and that is a worry,'' Burnett said.
"I'm hoping Power And Glory can get a drag along behind Lakeview Emily, because I believe she has the early pace to be in front of Good Odds Cobber at the first turn.
"Power And Glory is so strong that if he is anywhere near the leaders on the back straight he is good enough to win this.''
Power And Glory
Peter Lagogiane, caretaker trainer of WA staying star Max Capacity, has, like Frank Hurst, won the world famous Million Dollar Chase at WP.
Lagogiane's success has capped a remarkable turnaround after a mystery illness devastated his kennels in 2013, resulting in the deaths of three greyhounds, including Lucks Changed, which he described at the time as the fastest sprinter he had trained.
Lucks Changed had contributed to Lagogiane's most successful night at WP when he, along with Dillinger, Johan Khan and La Host, gave the former house painter four winners.
Lagogianer's father Terry raced greyhounds as a hobby and by working part-time in his uncle Zoomas' bakery 14-year-old Peter had saved enough money to buy a dog called Our Boy Shawn, who had just eight starts for two thirds.
If Max Capacity wins the Association Cup he will become the first WA performer to take out the group one 720m event since 2012 when the mighty Miata won in 41.94, then the race record time.
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Max Capacity's toughest rival on Saturday night looms as Apilla, trained in SA by Damien Smith.
A win by Apilla will end a long drought for SA-trained greyhounds, as since the Cup was first held in 1965 only the champion bitches Ascapella Miss, in 1974, and Bayroad Queen in 1982, have taken the trophy back to Adelaide.
Apilla won her heat of the Association Cup from box two and will exit the same box in the final.
Apilla
Trainer Damien Smith said: "Near the fence is where she wants to be.
"Apilla got a bit wide on the first turn in her heat last week but that was because she had not seen the track before.
"She got a bit lost at that point, partly because there were a couple of dogs in front of her behind the lure.
"But she pulled up well after her heat and will be raring to go on Saturday night.''
This year's Association Cup is the most open in years, with little between the four heat winners.
I'm Sally set the time standard at 41.84, with Max Capacity clocking 41.91, Late Night News at 41.95 and Apilla, the greyhound tipped to show the most improvement, recording 42.15.
