Zamperini and Inshallah look ones to watch in the forthcoming Group 3 Dean Industrial Dapto Maiden Classic.
The Ruth King-trained pair have both produced excellent trial performances at the NSW South Coast track ahead of the $25,000-to-the-winner series.
Zamperini, a 21 months old son of Mogambo, won a performance trial in a blistering 29.83.
Inshallah, who had previously recorded 29.78 in a performance trial, led throughout in a separate hit-out and clocked a slick 30.01
Heats of the series will be run at Dapto on August 13 with the semi-finals and final on the following two Thursdays.
Zamperini's performance last Thursday was nothing short of sensational.
He was last of three runners to leave the boxes, was second going through the catching pen and pounced on the lead on the back straight before careering away in the middle of the track.
King told me recently she regarded Inshallah and Zamperini as two of the fastest greyhounds she had trained and that she was preparing them for the big Dapto Maiden.
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Anthony Azzopardi admits to being "heartbroken'' when Topper Road was sold recently but the Londonderry trainer has wasted no time in replacing that greyhound, producing a prospective group greyhound in Spring James.
Topper Road won a heat and semi-final of this year's Group 1 National Derby at Wentworth Park for Azzopardi but was later sold and is now owned and trained by Caroline Hughes.
"I appreciate that an owner is entitled to sell any greyhound but I'm a bit of a softie when it comes to my dogs,'' Azzopardi said. "I was heartbroken, really gutted, when he left my kennels.''
Last Wednesday Spring James made a spectacular Wentworth Park debut to win a fifth grade by four lengths in 29.98, lifting his record to an imposing six wins and two seconds from eight starts.
Spring James was among the last to leave the boxes but went so fast he was in front at the first turn.
"I panicked a bit when I saw how wide he was going through the catching pen, I thought to myself 'where do you think you're going' but then he settled down and didn't get anywhere near as wide on the home bend,'' Azzopardi said.
"This dog goes so fast when he hits the ground that he can have trouble getting around the first turn because he builds up so much speed.
"He recently produced a track record first split in a Victorian sprint but went so fast early he almost lost the first bend completely.''
Spring James is raced by Amanda Stollery, daughter of leading Wentworth Park bookmaker Mark Stollery.
"I bought him after he won a heat and finished second in the Coonamble Maiden Classic final in early October last year,'' Amanda said.
"We had all sorts of trouble with him and we sent him to (NSW Northern Rivers) trainer Pat Lavis.
"Because six months had elapsed Spring James had to contest a stewards' trial and after running 23.38 in that hit-out he won for Pat at Grafton in 23.18.
"Pat believed the dog was so talented he deserved to be in Sydney so we transferred him to Anthony Azzopardi's kennels and Spring James hasn't looked back.''
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Alan Chauncy, a legendary trainer of the 60s, 70s and 80s, is enjoying retirement on the Gold Coast although he no longer trains greyhounds.
"I headed up north in 1989 and while in semi-retirement there I trained Vindicate who came back to Wentworth Park with me and won the 1994 Sydney Cup,'' Chauncy said.
"When my late wife Fay suffered several heart attacks and had a leg amputated I had to give up training altogether to look after her.''
Chauncy, now 83, is one of the sport's great characters.
At one stage trained smart greyhounds Coffee Queen and Instant for media impressario John Singleton and Stylamatic for renowned race broadcaster Ian Craig.
Early in his career Chauncy was presented with the talented but erratic Top Sapphire as a gift.
When mated with Benjamin John she produced Woolley Wilson, which Chauncy sold as a pup for $150 to Gary Wilson.
Media personality Gary Wilson wanted Chauncy to train the dog but when his kennels were fully occupied at the time the late Geoff Watt took over Woolley Wilson's training.
Woolley Wilson retired as the all-time top stakes winning sprinter and it was then that Gary Wilson and his greyhound secured favourable publicity nationwide for the sport.
They were featured along with guests Ray Warren, Alan Chauncy, Zoom Top's trainer Hec Watt and race callers Paul Ambrosoli and Ray Conroy, on Roger Climpson's hour long top rated television show "This Is Your Life.''
While fate prevented Chauncy training Woolley Wilson, he did prepare a swag of outstanding greyhounds such as champion stayer Mockacindy, National Sprint Championship finalist Pacermatic, Raven Ridge, Top Streak, No Pardons, Jamin, Chief Mocka, Revella Star, triple track record holder Bonny Brinny and the 1974 Richmond Derby winner Roomatic.
