Trainer Greg Sutherland conceded his bitch Screaming Violet "may have been a bit lucky" when she toppled long odds-on favourite Gold Force at Wentworth Park on Saturday night, but was confident once she held the lead on the top turn.
Screaming Violet, who was bred by Sutherland and is closely related to group one winner Sooty Keeping, took the lead at the first turn of a 520m fifth grade, at the spot where Gold Force was dragged down from behind by a tiring rival.
Gold Force took off after Screaming Violet on the back straight but after looking a threat leaving that point he failed to make any ground and was beaten one-and-a-half lengths.
After the race Greg Sutherland said: "Screaming Violet has a flat spot in the middle stages, she always seems to lose momentum on the back straight at Wenty, but when she has retained the lead on the top turn she has never been beaten.
"Screaming Violet has just got back to form after a spider bite caused her to be a late scratching just before a race at Richmond, when she developed a raging temperature and I was told if she had competed it could have had disastrous results.''
Mark Forner was working in the coalmines in WA until Covid struck and he was made redundant, so he took up training greyhounds on a full-time basis.
Forner's dog Square Up scored his third Wentworth Park win on Saturday night, overtaking pacemaker Forged Iron at the top of the straight and then holding off a late challenge by Ritza Ken to win a 520m fifth grade by a length in 29.98.
Square Up again showed his liking for an outside draw, as he had box eight on Saturday and now, from nine starts from boxes seven and eight, has scored five wins.
"Being made redundant in the mines has been a blessing because I have a good team in work now,'' Forner said.
Vodka And Ice, a litter brother to crack NSW stayer Late Night News, was having only his second 720m test when he led throughout to hold off Paw Bodhi by a head in 42.48 in Saturday night's Chairman's Cup.
The winner is trained by Caroline Hughes for Dawn Garrett, who said later: "Vodka on ice is my favourite drink so that's how this dog got his name.
"Earlier in his career he was running his races in patches but he has finally put it all together.''
Trainer Caroline Hughes expected Vodka And Ice to run a big race on Saturday as he had beaten his litter brother West Rock Casey in a 515m trial last week, just before that dog came out and won the top grade 520m race at Wentworth Park on Thursday night.
Total Faith's trainer Alan Clare was concerned his dog could have been slightly under-done before Saturday's John Tracey Memorial Masters but his fears proved unfounded with the greyhound leading throughout.
Total Faith won by six lengths and covered the 520m in 30.04, despite having his first start since finishing a luckless sixth in the Masters Meteor on Million Dollar Chase night at Wentworth Park on October 9.
"The only trial Total Faith has had for the past month was a box-to-box hit-out at my local Wagga track last Sunday so he went into tonight's race very fresh,'' Clare said.
Training honours on Saturday were with Jason Mackay, who had only two starters but won with King Of Gods in in a personal best 29.64 and with Federal Bullet in a sizzling 29.50.
"King Of Gods is only a baby, he is eligible for the National Derby in January so that will be his mission,'' Mackay said.
Federal Bullet led throughout but after setting up a commanding lead just lasted to win by a nose from Zipping Xaden, who rocketed home from fifth on the back straight.
Mackay was in awe of Zipping Xaden's finish, commenting: "My dog runs home strongly so the runner-up must have clocked about an 11.40 run home.''
Federal Bullet's time was the quickest of the night, a fraction ahead of the Jodie Lord-trained Magic Bandit, who led throughout in 29.51 and Sam Sultana's Trio Of Clowns who also led all the way, recording a personal best 29.56.
