PREMIER trainer Minnie Finn could not believe her luck when out of the blue she got a phone call midweek to say Hey Arnold had got a start from the reserves bench in Saturday night's Group 2 Black Top final (515m) at The Gardens.
And, before his cheering owners, the Malcharjac Syndicate of Jacob Wells and Mal Reaburn, the son of Tommy Shelby-Scramjet stormed to victory in a flying 29.16 at the juicy odds of $17.
He scored by two-and-a half lengths over early leader Galba Model with Dennis Keeping in third.
Hot favourite Jungle Johnny, away slowly, was never out of roadblocks when finishing fifth.
Minnie has put into place "Plan B" by nominating Hey Arnold for Saturday night's Wentworth Park meeting as well.
Jacob and Mal, mates from Dubbo for the past three years, made a last-minute decision to drive the four hours to The Gardens for the Black Top final.
"There was no way we were going to make it home to Dubbo after the celebrations," said Jacob on Sunday.
Reserve Hey Arnold took advantage of a late call-up to win the Group 2 Black Top at The Gardens.
"We scrambled to find a motel overnight."
Jacob's wife Courtney is secretary-manager of the Dubbo Club.
"I've been in dogs for about four years and Hey Arnold is just the third dog we've had," he said.
"I met Mal three years ago in a pub at home, we got talking and became mates."
Mal was happy to come into the two-man syndicate to buy a pup at the Richmond Auction.
"We paid $13,500 for him and got him reared at Keeping Kennels," said Jacob.
"He can be over the top and we asked Minnie if she would give him a try."
Hey Arnold's kennel name is Arnie, after acting legend and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"It was no surprise to me that he won," said Minnie.
"He's always been a fast dog but box draws have come against him. He had the eight in the heat and came out lengths behind them."
But, Hey Arnold has already been placed in the G3 Mid North Coast Cup at Taree and been a finalist in the G1 Vic Peters, all before he turns two years old on Thursday.
Finn will give him a week off now and prepare him for the semi-finals of the Million Dollar Chase.
He will be one of six she already has qualified for the semis of the million-dollar race at Wentworth Park.
A jubilant Minnie Finn celebrates Hey Arnold's Black Top victory.
"Then he will go on to the Richmond Auction series," she said.
"He's a very highly strung dog but a wonderful chaser. Once he finds the fence, he is hard to beat."
For Jacob and Mal, they have a couple of pups coming through.
"Mal said after the Black Top win, when are we going to get more dogs?" said Jacob.
"When we paid $13,500 for Arnie, I had not even told my wife."
Jacob is on the Dubbo GRC committee and loves all things greyhound racing.
It's hard not to after winning the Black Top.
For Minnie Finn, the Black Top/Million Dollar Chase double is a tough one.
Zipping Kyrgios won the Black Top and was beaten narrowly into second behind McInerney in the Million Dollar Chase.
