"I can't stop smiling" declared Rebecca Edenborough her stayer I'm Sally gave the 42-year-old Cowra trainer her first winning Wentworth Park double on Saturday night.
Ding's Sally (pictured above), having her first start at Wentworth Park, had led throughout for Edenborough to easily win a 520m fifth grade in 29.98 and 19 minutes later I'm Sally made it two for Edenborough by leading all the way over 720m.
I'm Sally pulled off a major upset as Saturday's top grade long distance race had been regarded as a match between favourites Lady Wilson and Late Night News.
But each of those greyhounds missed the jump and although Lady Wilson finished solidly she was still three lengths astern of the front running I'm Sally at the winning post.
The winner took her Wentworth Park staying record to five wins and five placings from a dozen appearances when she stopped the clock at 42.10 on a wet track.
After the race Edenborough's husband, fellow trainer Rod McDonald, said: "I'm Sally had lost confidence at Wenty so last Monday Bec brought her to Sydney and gave her a 720m trial.
"I'm Sally clocked 41.80 which was .04sec quicker than her best Wenty race time of 41.84.''
Edenborough added: "I had not planned to do so but after that win I will get I'm Sally ready for the NSW Distance Championship at Wenty on August 14.''
Edenborough's other winner on Saturday night, Ding's Sandy, gave her owners, Roger Levett and his family from Cootamundra, their first city success.
While Ding's Sally had not raced at Wentworth Park, Edenborough "did her homework" with the greyhound, trekking twice to Wentworth Park in recent weeks to trial the greyhound.
"She clocked 30.20 in her first 520m hit-out and then recorded 24.40 in a post to post slip so she knew where she was going tonight,'' Edenborough said.
Training honours on Saturday night were shared between Edenborough and south coast mentor Allan Manwaring, who landed a double with Olling and Ashby Flash.
Olling led throughout in a 520m fifth grade in 30.08 while Ashby Flash clocked easily his best Wentworth Park time of 29.78 with a runaway victory in a similar event.
Saint Omagh bungled the start when second at Wentworth Park on July 26 so trainer Denice Warren worked on the dog's box manners with a winning result on Saturday night.
Saint Omagh led throughout from box six to win a 520m fifth grade in 29.66, his fastest Wentworth Park time.
The success took Saint Omagh's record to 13 wins from 28 starts and Warren said: "Because he missed the kick last week I did some box work with him leading up to tonight's race and it paid dividends.''
Saint Omagh is owned by famous harness racing identity Michael Boots, whose champion pacer Swayzee was named NSW Horse of the Year for 2024.
Trainer Harry Sarkis attributed avoiding the pre-race "stir up" with Just Ken to the dog jumping cleanly and scoring his first Wentworth Park win on Saturday night.
Just Ken, who had been placed once in three previous Wentworth Park outings, was checked at the first turn but railed to the lead on the home turn and won a 520m fifth grade in 30.10.
"This dog has trialled 29.70 at Wenty but slow starts have prevented him breaking through for a win,'' trainer Sarkis said.
"I figured stirring him up before a race might be making him too excited and causing him to dwell at the start so I kept him inside for the pre-race stir-up tonight and it seems to have worked.''
Taormina continued her sensational Wentworth Park form on Saturday night, spearing out of the boxes to a clear lead and being unchallenged to take out the top grade 520m event in 29.56.
It was the seventh successive Wentworth Park win for the Jodie Lord-trained bitch and while Taormina's time on Saturday was .27sec wide of her fastest figures, the performance was equally meritorious considering the wet and windy conditions which prevailed on Saturday night.
