Ray Sims, who has been educating and training greyhounds for 60 years, returned to the Wentworth Park winner's circle after a long absence when Bianca's Boy roared home to win a 520m fifth grade on Saturday night.
Bianca's Boy notched his seventh win in just 12 starts when he came from third early to easily defeat Flying Vance and early leader Eye Roll Sloy in 30.14.
Sims, who turns 82 next month, pre-trained the great Daily Tide, who won the Group 1 Vic Peters and Paws Of Thunder finals in 1965.
Sims' wife Lynette said: "You wouldn't know he was in his 80s because he is up every morning around 5:30 to look after his greyhounds.
"He just amazes me.
"Ray bred Bianca's Boy from his good race bitch Bianca Keeping, who won 26 races.''
Bianca's Boy before his win on Saturday night.
Sims has passed his vast knowledge on to his son Peter, who is also based at Illabo, near Wagga, and who has been among NSW's most successful trainers for the past five years.
Another veteran trainer to snare first prizemoney at Wentworth Park on Saturday was John Miles, whose bred, owned, and trained dog Johnny Red recorded his 22nd win in 47 starts when he won over 520m in a slick 29.87.
Miles, who bought his first greyhound in 1969, did not race Johnny Red over 520m until December 9, at the dog's 45th appearance.
He explained: "When he was young Johnny Red couldn't get 520m and then he had a bit of a problem and couldn't run for three or four months.
"But once he got his power back I knew he would see it out and he jumped well and led all the way at Wentworth Park on December 16 in 29.80 at his second crack at 520m.
"On Saturday night he didn't begin as smartly but he didn't get touched in the run to and around the first turn and that clear go enabled him to get to the line strongly to win again.''
Leading owner-breeder Marty Hallinan has landed three Group 1 National Futurity bitches' classic finals since 2015 and holds a strong hand in 2024 with Zipping Teresa, who clocked 29.81 winning her fourth Wentworth Park race on Saturday night.
Ritza Debra also handed in an impressive National Futurity trial when she ran down Zipping Delvene to win on Saturday night in 29.91.
That success took the Mark Gatt-trained bitch's Wentworth Park record to five wins from seven starts and gives her trainer a strong chance of landing his first National Futurity victory.
Success in the Group One Futurity was enjoyed in 2023 by Gatt's brother Daniel, who trained Wyndra All Class when she defeated Victorian star Baby Jaycee in 29.86 in the Wentworth Park final.
Leading trainer Minnie Finn plans to by-pass next month's National Derby with her Christmas Gift winner Zipping Caleb but has a handy "second string'' for the Wentworth Park classic with Both Bowers Ace, who scored his first win at headquarters on Saturday in a tidy 29.91.
Finn is heading to Albion Park with Zipping Caleb and her Group 1 Vic Peters Classic winner Zipping Remus for the December 28 heats of the $112,000 Queensland Derby and will rely on her "lesser lights" such as Both Bowes Ace for January's Wentworth Park Group One event.
