"Miracle" Mal Johnston, who rode 37 group one winners, looks set to get his first Wentworth Park winner as a greyhound owner when Unleash Shirley and Unleash Beetson (pictured) contest Thursday night's Beast Unleashed Gosford to Wenty final.
Johnston is the sole owner of Unleash Shirley, whose 29.25 heat win over 515m at Gosford on October 14, set the time standard for the final.
Johnston is involved in the ownership of nine greyhounds with dual Million Dollar Chase winning trainer Peter Lagogiane, who prepares Unleash Beetson and Unleash Shirley.
Lagogiane said: "Malcolm is at my kennels looking at his dogs at least once a week and never misses a meeting when he has a runner.
"He pulls the whip and rides them home the way he used to ride Kingston Town when he won the 1980 Cox Plate.
"Unleash Shirley has more brilliance from the boxes than Unleash Beetson but he goes like a rocket when he hits the ground.
"I think Unleash Beetson will become a 29.50 dog around Wenty.''
Before The Dawn has been placed in four of six Wentworth Park starts but trainer Minnie Finn has a big opinion of her and her litter sister Back Tomorrow, whose Wenty tally is two win and three placings from five appearances.
Before The Dawn has box four in Thursday's Ladbrokes Blackbook Stakes while her sister Back Tomorrow has drawn the same trap in the Mark Hughes Foundation Stakes.
Finn believes this pair have the potential to emulate their older half sister Gets Late Early, whose 34 wins have earned over $396,000.
Back Tomorrow ran the race of her life when second, beaten two lengths by unbeaten Wentworth Park star Zipper On Time, at headquarters last Friday night in the GRNSW Young Star Final while Before The Dawn had no luck when third, nearly four lengths behind Zipping Arkle, at the same meeting.
"These bitches are going better than Gets Late Early was at the same stage of her career,'' Finn said.
"Before The Dawn is a fraction quicker but she is not as good a race bitch as Back Tomorrow, who does everything right.''
This Is Why's last Wentworth Park win was in July but he gets his chance on Thursday night after drawing box one in the Ladbokes Quick Multi Stakes, a 520m fifth grade.
Andrew Rowe landed a winning treble at Wentworth Park last Saturday night with Taw Galaxy, Shadow Line and Best Surprise, litter siblings by Wow from his marvellous producer Wayang Angel.
His winning streak should continue on Thursday when that trio's older half brother Taw Commander tackles the Farrell's 4x2 Masters Stakes over 520m.
Taw Commander was far from disgraced when fourth, from box four, in a far tougher Masters Meteor heat at Wentworth Park on October 9 and has drawn better in box two in this week's easier event.
