Jeff Britton, who won the 2017 Summer Distance Plate with Dublin Bull and landed the same final three years later with True Detective, rates his 2022 candidate Mepunga Ruby better than the former and in the same class as the latter.
"Mepunga Ruby is definitely better than Dublin Bull and might be as good as True Detective,'' the crack Victorian trainer said.
"Like True Detective, Mepunga Ruby is a front-running stayer but she might be slightly stronger at the finish.
"When she won at Wentworth Park over 720m on Saturday night she felt her way around the track because she had never been there.
"I was happy with her all-the-way win and was also pleased with her kennelmate Hank The Hustler's run to finish a close third.
"The time of 42.38 was a bit disappointing but when dogs bunch up a bit, like they did on Saturday, they tend not to go as quick as when they are strung out with the leader tearing away with a big break.''
Britton's praise for Mepunga Ruby is significant as when True Detective won the Summer Distance Plate he covered the 720m in 41.87, breaking the race record of 41.97 set by No Donuts in 2016.
Britton's exciting youngster Blazing Times is in Sydney to have a crack at the January 14 heats of the group 1 National Derby but first the dog must pass a clearance trial at Wentworth Park on Wednesday.
Blazing Times, who has won in a flying 29.36 over 515m at Melbourne's Sandown, raced erratically on the home bend before winning over 525m at The Meadows last Wednesday.
"He has not looked like doing anything wrong in winning six of his previous 14 races but he got a ticket at The Meadows,'' Britton said.
"I also plan to have litter brothers Weblec Raider and Weblec Ranger in the Derby heats.''
Blazing Times and Weblec Raider, who has had 23 races for six wins and nine placings, have gone to caretaker trainers Alan and Christine Proctor while Weblec Ranger, with six wins and five placings from 22 starts, has entered trainer Chris Carl's kennels for his Sydney campaign.
"Weblec Raider is a bit quicker than Weblec Ranger but has gone to Sydney because he is being harshly treated under the Victorian grading system,'' Britton said.
"Under our prizemoney-based system, Weblec Raider, because he won a $20,000 to the winner maiden race at Bendigo, he has had to do it tough as far as grades are concerned.''
Britton is no stranger to enjoying success by sending greyhounds to Sydney trainers for big race campaigns as he took out the 2019 National Futurity with Circle Of Dreams, who was handled by Christine Proctor.
Trainer Jodie Lord is upbeat about Coast Model's prospects in the Paws Of Thunder series despite the presence of Zipping Kansas, who gave her bitch a start and a six lengths beating at Wentworth Park on December 26.
"There were only four runners that night and Zipping Kansas got the sit behind Coast Model,'' Lord said.
"It is likely to be a lot different in a full field of eight.
"Coast Model is a front runner so small fields and races like the Christmas Gift, which was a match race series, don't really suit her.
"Coast Model was out of action between July and December due to a long seasonal condition but the upside is that she has come back a better greyhound, she is now stronger at the finish of her races.''
