Zipping Willow Wins Again

By Jeff Collerson

Zipping Willow took her tally at Wentworth Park to 19 wins from 25 starts after another fantastic win at the metropolitan track on Saturday night.

The Jason Mackay-trained sprinter burned off a top notch lineup in the Ladbrokes.com.au Stakes (520m), meaning she has only tasted defeat once at Wentworth Park in 2014.

Her first section was a sizzling 5.31, but it was her second and third splits of 13.49 and 17.59 which set new time standards while her overall figures of 29.52 were wide of her personal best 29.35.

Zipping Willow will now likely be aimed at the heats of the Group 3 Christmas Gift at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.

In other action on Saturday night, Whittaker took his record to seven wins from 11 starts with a blistering 29.81 performance. Bruce Fletcher conceded a rails run at the first turn was "handy" for the greyhound who is trained by his wife Julie.

"In his Dapto wins Whittaker’s run home times have been second only to those recorded by Double Twist," Fletcher said later.

"This dog does it so easily and the way he races he looks as if he will make a top notch stayer."

Castlereagh trainer Jason Laurence landed his first Saturday night winner at Wentworth Park when Jeffy Gee led throughout in the Bohemia Crystal Stakes.

"I’ve been training for six years and while I have had winners at Monday and Friday meetings this is the first in prime time," Laurence said.

"Jeffy Gee trialled 30.20 after the last race at Wenty on Sunday so I was pleased with his 30.11 run tonight, especially as I was a bit worried about him being in a late race.

"He tends to play up in the kennels so is better suited in an earlier event."

Meanwhile, Victory Belle will tackle the $10,000 to the winner Newcastle Cup at Unibet Gardens next month following her emphatic win over 720m at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.

Owner-trainer Greg Adamthwaite, a Newcastle waterfront worker who bred the greyhound, said Victory Belle loves Unibet Gardens.

His bitch’s first city win on Saturday has gone a long way to easing the disappointment he encountered with Victory Belle’s dam Diamondo, a litter sister to Brett May’s National Futurity winner Daydream.