TAORMINA was considered "the queen" of Wentworth Park for much of the year and bounced back in emphatic fashion to win her heat of the Ladbrokes Paul Wheeler at her favourite track on Saturday night.
After winning seven consecutive races at WP 520m between June and August, Taormina's form tapered off and she finished down the course there on October 4 and 11.
But trainer Andy Lord was in awe of his bitch after she came from behind, running down Laura Keeping, to win her Paul Wheeler heat on Saturday in a flying 29.57.
After the race Andy Lord said: "She was carrying a hamstring problem and had a month off before winning over 440m at Goulburn on November 14.
"But she pulled up sore again after that race and we eased her up to set her for tonight's race.
"The only two trials Taormina had going into the Paul Wheeler heat were a 300m and a 400m hit-out, so she is really something special.''
Fastest of the six Paul Wheeler heats was the 29.55 posted by Victorian-trained Croydon, who gave the Minnie Finn-trained Winsome Jet a start before running him down to win by a half-length.
Croydon with Lisa Delbridge after winning his heat of the Ladbrokes Paul Wheeler
Mark Delbridge, whose wife Lisa trains Croydon, said: "He had not seen Wentworth Park before these heats.''
Croydon could be capable of improvement as he did seem "lost" and veered off the track on the first turn before storming home along the rails in the straight.
Minnie Finn's Winsome Jet was fastest second placegetter so has qualified for next Saturday's $75,000 to the winner final.
And Minnie's daughter-in-law Courtney Barnes also has a finalist after winning a heat with Zipping Ariel, who upset National Derby winner Paw Oswald in 29.68.
Sooty Keeping narrowly missed qualifying for the 2024 Paul Wheeler, having to be content with winning The Collerson, the Consolation final, but she earned a crack at this year's big race with a 29.81 heat win on Saturday night.
The other heat winners were Taw Galaxy, who scored his 10th win in 20 WP outings in 29.75 and Summer Quinn, who led throughout in 29.95.
Frank Gatt owned three of his son, trainer Mark Gatt's four winners at WP on Thursday night, and was successful on Saturday as owner of the Patricia Chaker-trained Ritza Old Mate.
On Thursday at WP Frank Gatt owned winners Ritza Ringer, Ritza Tears and Ritza Tiana, while Ritza Old Mate resumed from a break of 10 weeks to lead all the way on Saturday for him in 29.93.
After the race Jackson Chaker, son of Ritza Old Mate's trainer, said: "He has been sidelined with a minor toe injury but has been trialling well.
"Ritza Old Mate recently clocked 22.70 on a slow track over 401m at Richmond which is as good as he has ever gone.''
Dynamic Drummer overcame a first turn bump to win in 30.03 on Saturday but trainer Ruth King believes the dog's future is over longer distances.
"He is really a 600m dog, 520m is a bit short for him, but I kept him very fresh for tonight and that enabled him to show good early pace,'' King said later.
"But I intend trying Dynamic Drummer over 720m shortly.''
