Sammy Ethan turned four in January and has been shining in Masters races but this remarkable veteran outclassed his younger rivals to post close to his fastest time in a third and fourth grade 520m race on Saturday night.
Sammy Ethan's all-the-way win was in 29.45, just .04 outside his personal best Wentworth Park figures which were recorded way back in November, 2024.
No wonder Sammy Ethan knows his way around Wentworth Park, as his success on Saturday night was his 27th victory at the track at start number 93 - with all but two of his career appearances being at headquarters.
Sammy Ethan's win gave Mark Gatt a winning treble after he had won with Good Odds Rocky and Ritza Tiana earlier on the card.
Both were resuming from spells, with Good Odds Rocky having his first start for Gatt.
Good Odds Rocky, who had not raced since February 5, came from second on the home turn to run down pacemaker Zipping Violet in 29.72.
Mark Gatt said later: "Good Odds Rocky is owned by David Andrews, and he had previously been trained by David's pal Neville Brown, who is also a friend of mine.
"Neville got very sick is unable to train dogs at the moment so he asked me to take Good Odds Rocky on behalf of his mate David Andrews.
"Good Odds Rocky has been trialling well since coming into my kennels so I am really happy for his owner, and also for Neville Brown, that the dog was able to win tonight.''
Fastest time on Saturday was the Mark Gatt-trained Ritza Tiana's sizzling 29.38 effort to run down pacemaker Dark Noise in a 520m fifth grade.
Ritza Tiana is eligible for the age restricted Peter Mosman Opal heats at Wentworth Park next Saturday night so is certain to be among the nominations for that group one event.
On Saturday Ritza Tiana was having her first start in four months but after the race her owner Frank Gatt, the trainer's father, said: "I'm not surprise she went so well tonight because she has had a seasonal spell.''
Frank Gatt trained the 1999 National Derby winner Hahn Bale and said: "In all my years with greyhounds I've found that bitches returning to racing after being in season invariably race well, often improving on their previous form.''
Hera Rolex was unlikely to contest the $100,000 to the winner Peter Mosman Opal series until she gave Rise Up Nismo a big start and a length beating in a 520m fifth grade on Saturday.
Hera Rolex stopped the clock at a slick 29.61 and trainer Jason Mackay said later: "She went off the boil a bit after finishing second in a 565m race at Maitland on June 1 so I freshened her right up.
"In the past couple of weeks she has bounced back with a pair of fast trials over 400m at Maitland so tonight's smart time didn't surprise me.
"And because Hera Rolex is the perfect age for the Peter Mosman Opal heats next Saturday at Wenty she has earned a crack at that series.''
Saturday's top grade 520m race was taken out by Magic Fletch, who led all the way in 29.56, while Unleash In Miami, who became eligible for veteran races in April, won a 520m fifth grade for Young-based trainer Ike McCorkindale in 29.61.
Michael Eberand, who raced the former prolific winning stayer Ebby Ripper and raced the outstanding speedster Aussie Infrared, later a leading stud dog, has a ready-made brood bitch in Beautiful Magpie, who led all the way in 29.83 on Saturday.
Beautiful Magpie had notched her second Wentworth Park win on Thursday night and had no trouble backing up for her third Wenty success on Saturday.
After the race Michael Eberand said: "I have had Beautiful Magpie identified as being my next brood bitch for quite a while and her race form has only made me more keen to breed from her.''
