Mick Vella bought his first greyhound, Souths Mick, in 2014, but on Saturday night he secured his first group finalist when his bonny bitch Ferrero Girl led all the way to win heat one of the Evans & Son Jewellers Ladies Bracelet at Wentworth Park.
Ferrero Girl began smartly from box five and led throughout, holding off group one winner Gets Late Early to win by a head in 29.87.
Purchased at the beginning of the year from Cowra breeders Pam and Paul Braddon, Ferrero Girl, now trained by Preston Rowles, took her record for Vella to four wins and three placings from 10 Wentworth Park appearances.
She sealed Saturday's heat with a blistering 5.39 first split and Vella said later: "What an amazing couple of days I've had because Hope's Secret won for me at Wentworth Park on Friday night and now I've got a group finalist after trying for 11 years.
"I wanted Ferrero Girl drawn wide in the final and she has come up with box five but we are happy with that.''
The $25,000 to the winner group 3 Ladies Bracelet final will be held next Saturday night at Wentworth Park.
Fastest Bracelet heat time was recorded by the consistent Jodie Lord-trained Taormina, a finalist in the recent group 1 Ladbrokes Golden Easter Egg.
Taormina led all the way to win heat three in 29.49, comfortably holding off a late finish by Wincey Bale for a three lengths victory.
Miss Zig Zag's win in heat two of the Bracelet was attributed to her quick getaway by her trainer Syd Swain.
Miss Zig Zag led all the way to win by five lengths in 29.75 from Ritza Trish, who missed the kick from box one.
Syd Swain said later: "Miss Zig Zag trialled a sizzling 22.39 over 400m at Richmond recently and when she jumps well, like she did tonight, she can run very fast time.
"But when she misses the start, as she often does, she is just as likely to run last.''
She's That Girl scored her fifth win in five Wentworth Park appearances in heat four of the Bracelet, winning by seven lengths in 29.79 from the strong finishing Zipping Mayer.
Although She's That Girl's time was outside her personal best Wentworth Park figures of 29.65, trainer Peter Lagogiane was rapt in her performance.
"When she tried to rail up inside the pacemaker Cheeky Cheeky at the end of the back straight she was crowded for room and definitely got held up for a run,'' Lagogiane said.
"But she powered to the line and will be hard to beat now that she has drawn box two in the Futurity final.''
Pre-post final favourite Power And Glory was a late scratching from heat two of the group 2 Bob Payne Sprint when trainer Ken Burnett elected not to start the dog on a track which had been saturated by heavy rain.
After the rain delay the second heat went ahead and was won by the Jodie Lord-trained Ayden's Warrior, who led all the way from Blue Goose Boy in a nippy 29.79.
Equally impressive was Overflow Beau, who won heat one for trainer Craig Chappelow after being "turned sideways" at the first turn.
Overflow Beau, who was exiting box eight for the sixth successive time, led narrowly early but was badly hampered trying to reach the rails by Taree Cup winner Yogen Bale, who dashed clear on the back straight.
Overflow Beau showed great tenacity to run down Yogen Bale and win by three lengths in 29.95 on a heavy track.
Training honours for the night went to Jodie Lord, who won a Futurity heat with Taormina, a Bob Payne qualifier with Ayden's Warrior, and a fifth grade with 18 month old sensation Destroying in a sizzling 29.50.
