Barry Howell believes Pinnacle could join Dublin Lad as the best greyhound he has trained following the dog's barn-storming win in Tuesday night's $5000 to the winner GRNSW 5th Grade final at Gosford.
Pinnacle gave Mark Moroney's brilliant front runner Black Firebrand a massive start before flashing down the outside to win by a head, covering the 515m in a nippy 29.54.
Pinnacle had come from a long way back to be runner-up to Black Firebrand in the fastest heat a week earlier.
"Pinnacle is a day to day proposition because of an injury he suffered after he had just one race, which is why he is 28 months old and has had just nine starts,'' Howell said.
"I've had a few offers from people wanting to buy him but I doubt Pinnacle would pass the veterinary inspection needed to complete a sale.
"He is not real brilliant early but is very strong at the finish.
"Dublin Lad, who won over 720m at Wentworth Park in 42.16 and 42.35 in 2019, is the best greyhound I have trained but if he stays sound I think Pinnacle might match him.
"I bought Pinnacle for only $3000 when he was a little puppy.
"He is by Moreira but what attracted me to him was that his dam Faith In Bear is a proven producer, and her owner has a good record of breeding winners.
"I'm about to turn 65 and have been involved with greyhounds since I was 12 when I was helping my father Wally Howell train his dogs.
"I have been a full-time trainer for 45 years but only keep a small team, and have five in work at present.''
Bandit Ned continued the domination of the Nowra record books by Southern Highlands trainers Jodie and Andy Lord when he set a new time standard for the 520m trip on Monday.
Bandit Ned, who is raced by a syndicate of eight owners, took his record to eight wins and a second from just nine starts when he scored hollow win in 29.38.
Those figures eclipsed the previous fastest Nowra 520m times which had been posted by a pair of Lord-trained greyhounds, Winlock On Top at 29.46 and soon after by Awesome Catch, with a 29.42 performance.
"Bandit Ned is starting to go real good now, he is putting it all together,'' Andy Lord said.
"Unfortunately his immediate future is up in the air because under the zoning restrictions he cannot race anywhere except Goulburn and Nowra.''
