Marvel Zombie began like "he was on fire'' according to trainer Allan Manwaring when he finally broke through for his first Wentworth Park on Friday night, ending a drought of six placings from his previous nine starts at headquarters.
Manwaring concedes Marvel Zombie, who has won nine races and earned over $40,000, has a mind of his own, but believes he will be better off competing against faster, higher-grade greyhounds.
"Another dog fought him when he had his first race and he has been a bit funny ever since,'' Manwaring said.
"I think he only goes as quick as they make him but he certainly has the ability, his first split on Friday was 5.34.
"He chases his guts out for the first 80m and then seems to wonder where his rivals are.''
Marvel Zombie is from the second litter whelped by Allan and Eloise Manwaring's former brilliant front-runner Zombie, who won 18 races and $68,000.
"She went within a length of winning the 2019 Ladies Bracelet when she made all the running but was caught on the line by Zipping Bailey,'' Manwaring recalled.
"Zombie had early speed like her son and in the Bracelet final she clocked a first split of 5.37.''
Marvel Zombie reminds me a lot of Two Romeo Road, who was trained by Roz and Barry Evans at Moonbi, near Tamworth, and who had 20 wins and 19 placings from 55 races in 2006 and 2007.
Two Romeo Road gained a cult following at Wentworth Park as he always seemed to be "kidding" to his rivals.
He was noted for winning narrowly, but excelled when he reached top grade, as Allan Manwaring is hoping can become the future of Marvel Zombie.
It's no surprise Manwaring is having success with the lead and collar as his late father Les Manwaring, a former president of the Queanbeyan and Canberra clubs, acquired hints on greyhounds from legendary former trainer Jimmy Coleman and the late great veterinary surgeon Ron Bowen.
Allan freely admits he gathered so much knowledge about greyhounds from his father, who passed away in 1997.
Valpolicella, the Sydney-owned, Queensland-trained long-distance star, only needs to win a heat of next month's Group One Association Cup to take her earnings over the $400,000 mark.
Trained by Tony Zammit for Sandro Bechini, Valpolicella has won 22 of her 42 races for $397,660 in stakes, and a Cup heat win on April 6 at Wentworth Park will boost that figure to $404,860.
"The Association Cup is her immediate goal but the long-range target is the Ladbrokes 715 final on May 3,'' Bechini said.
"That's why Tony (Zammit) trialed her over 600m there on Friday when she clocked 34.13 at her first look at The Gardens track, not too far outside Like Wildfire's record of 33.88.
"She ran home in 12.10 which apparently is outstanding and indicates she was just getting warmed up at the end of 600m.
"But Valpolicella could increase her earnings before the Cup heats because over the next couple of weeks, she is likely to have a race at Albion Park and perhaps a prelude race at The Gardens.
"She will definitely have another trial at The Gardens but this time it will be over 715m, the distance of the $500,000 to the winner race on May 3.''
Valpolicella's 2024 tally already includes the Group 2 Summer Distance Plate over 720m at Wentworth Park on January 20, the Group 1 Garrards Gold Cup over 710m at Albion Park on February 1 and another Group 1, the Sportsbet Zoom Top, over 730m at The Meadows on February 10.
