Late last year Light Of Mine was on the verge of being retired from racing and re-homed as a pet but now she has earned $100,000 and is poised to win Thursday night's second heat of the Summer Distance Plate at Wentworth Park.
Fresh from her victory in the $25,000 to the winner Ladbrokes Summer 700 at Gosford on January 3, the Jay Opetaia-trained bitch is perfectly drawn in box one on Thursday.
First four in each of the two heats will qualify for the Summer Distance Plate final, worth $40,000 to the winner, over 720m at Wentworth Park on January 24.
Light Of Mine is owned by Cowra breeder Geoff "Choc" Curtale, who said: "At one stage last year she was going so poorly she was one trial away from being de-sexed and re-homed.
"But I finished up selling her to a friend, Aaron Baker for $1,500, and then, when she improved a bit, I bought her back from him for $9,000."
"Officially, Light Of Mine's earnings stand at $73,130, but she recently qualified for a big long-distance final at The Q in Brisbane, and when it was cancelled due to the track being unsafe, the prizemoney was split, and the finalists received around $37,000 apiece.
"When Light Of Mine eventually goes to the breeding barn, I will organise a puppy deal for her previous owner, Aaron Baker.
"Young Jay Opetaia has done a great job with Light Of Mine over the past couple of months, and she is cherry ripe for Thursday night.
"He gave her a 600m trial at The Gardens on Friday, and she clocked 34.20, not far off the record, getting home in 12.13, which they tell me is just .01sec away from the track's best ever run home figures.''
Curtale also bred Light Of Mine's litter sister, I'm Sally, but early in her career, he made a gift of that greyhound to another friend, Rod McDonald and his wife Rebecca Edenborough.
I'm Sally has gone on to win 10 races and earn $70,000 prizemoney.
Light Of Mine's dangers on Thursday loom as Vodka And Ice, who chased her home in the Ladbrokes Summer 700, and Suribachi, whose fastest Wentworth Park 720m time of 41.74 is quickest in heat two.
Suribachi is awkwardly drawn in box seven, but trainer Ruth King said: "She just needs to get around that first turn without being skittled.
"She was underdone when she won her most recent race at Wenty on December 20 in 42.08, but has had plenty of work going into this race.
"Suribachi went well in a 515m trial at Bulli last Friday, and then I gave her a couple of good blow-out runs up the straight on Monday.''
Early favourite for the Summer Plate final and easily the best-performed stayer in the series is the Jodie Lord-trained Ayden's Warrior, who has box one in heat one.
Ayden's Warrior has been campaigning in far tougher races in Victoria, where he has registered a win and four second placings from his past six starts over 715m at Sandown and 730m at The Meadows.
His personal best time for the Wentworth Park 720m is 41.65, faster than any other nomination for the heats, and from boxes one and two Ayden's Warrior has recorded eight wins and five placings from 15 appearances.
Ayden's Warrior
Zipping Mooney, an impressive winner of her past two middle distance starts at Richmond and Nowra, looks Ayden's Warrior's main threat.
She is new to 720m but trainer Courtney Barnes said: "I am reasonably confident she will run the longer distance out.
"Zipping Mooney has been showing good early pace and getting to the line strongly at the end of 622m and 630m and has also been trialling well.
"She has box eight and while I would have preferred to see her drawn close to the rails she should at least get into the placings and qualify for Saturday week's final.''
