Sunburnt Highway moved within striking distance of Bessy Boo's record 34 Wentworth Park wins when he notched his 29th success at headquarters on Saturday night, with John Richardson, whose wife Judith trains the dog, conceding Masters races were a contributing factor.
"Thank goodness for Masters races because Sunburnt Highway turns five in August and while he won a fifth grade at Wentworth Park on May 8 he might now struggle against the up-and-coming young top graders,'' John Richardson said.
But Sunburnt Highway's all-the-way win on Saturday was full of merit because he carved out the 520m in 29.87, just .22sec slower than his personal best Wentworth Park figures posted on March 13.
Collecting Model had won four successive races before Saturday night but this week it was the turn of her litter sister Coast Model who set the meeting's time standard with a blistering 29.68 all-the-way win.
The JODIE Lord-trained Coast Model drew awkwardly in box six in a third and fourth grade crammed with brilliant front-runners but she left them all in her wake, winning by just on nine lengths.
Coast Model, whose owner-breeder Clay Mullens sold Collecting Model, has now won six of 14 Wentworth Park starts.
Trouble At Mill's owner-trainer Alex Anderson attributed his dog's fast start to the dog being able to run down hot favourite Rev Up Rob to win in 29.92, equalling his previous best WP time, on Saturday.
A hefty 36kg dog, Trouble At Mill began well and led at the first turn before being headed off by Rev Up Rob but coming again in the straight to win running away.
"That is the best Trouble At Mill has jumped in a race,'' Anderson said later.
"Even though Rev Up Rob took the lead off him, when Trouble At Mill settled down a clear second on the back straight I was confident he would win, because he is very strong.
"He deserved to win a city race because he was fastest qualifier for the Nowra Puppy Classic but had to be scratched from the final due to a toenail problem.''
Trainer Justin King conceded luck was on his bitch Miss Milwaukee's side when she led throughout to take out a 520m fifth grade on Saturday in 30.21.
Miss Milwaukee clocked handy opening splits of 5.48 and 14.01 but stole a huge break when Barton and Smooth Jack, who were disputing second spot behind her, collided heavily leaving the back straight.
A candid King said later: "Barton and Smooth Jack had my bitch 'cold' but when they knocked each other down Miss Milwaukee got away.
"Those early splits are precisely what she records when I trial her at Wenty.''
Stent won his second Wentworth Park 720m event in 10 days when he outstayed favourite Cool Bourbski for an easy 42.41 win in Saturday's only long distance event.
Stent overcame box five to win, with trainer Tony Desira commenting later: "Imagine what he will do when he draws box one!
"Stent has not drawn the rails in 21 starts and he is desperate for the inside.
"But he found the fence tonight which didn't surprise me because this bloke is a real race dog, he knows when it is race night and when it is he is all business.''
Lollipop Liz scored her 23rd win from 53 starts on Saturday despite trainer Sarah O'Sullivan and her father John O'Sullivan being concerned she might be short of a run.
Lollipop Liz led all the way to win a 520m fifth grade in 30.08, after resuming from a two months' spell to win over 392m at Taree on May 7.
"Before Taree we had been nominating her over and over but had been unable to find a race for her,'' Sarah said later.
"In desperation we entered her for a 537m race at Taree on May 7 but luckily I had nominated for a 392m event as a second choice.
"As it turned out there were not enough entries for a 537m event so Lollipop Liz contested a 392m race and won by a nose.
"Because she went into tonight's Wentworth Park 520m race with just that 392m event under her belt dad and I were worried she might be short of a run, but she got out good and led all the way.''
