Mace To Try His Luck In Hobart

greyhound trainer Gerald Mace will be venturing south to Park in the very near future in an attempt to further enhance the record of impressive bitch Puddle Fish.

“As much as I do not like travelling, I will have to take her to , she is a Grade 5 dog down there and capable of winning over the sprint distance,” he revealed this week.

Puddle Fish ( – Cool Hayley) has won five of 14 Tasmanian starts since entering Mace's Spring Street complex in August last year.

She made it two wins in succession at the Tote Racing Centre on Monday night by defeating Beau Joker and Lady In Charge in the saloon.com.au Grade 2/3 event over 278 metres.

“Many of the greyhound racing participants don't like the shorter races, but I am a great fan of them,” Mace explained.

“Apparently they are popular with the punters as well because Puddle Fish's race on Monday night attracted the largest Tote pool of the evening,” he added.

The bitch is raced by Victorian owner-trainer Dave Curtain, who in recent years has enjoyed great success sending greyhounds across to the Mace kennel.

Starfire Sophie, Solberg and Puddle Fish's litter sister Punkah Princess, have all greeted the judge after being transferred to Tasmania.

Meanwhile a battle royal is looming at the Tote Racing Centre next Monday night when outstanding prospects I'm A Fencer and Rewind go head to head in the $18,000 Shaw Contracting Illingworth Classic Final.

Named in honour of Hall Of Famer Des Illingworth, the race is regarded as one of the premier events on Tasmania's greyhound racing calendar.

Three heats were conducted on Monday night, with honours going to the two previously mentioned chasers and the promising Pantry Pat.

I'm A Fencer ( – Wooreddy) has won 15 of 26 lifetime outings from the kennel of astute trainer David Crosswell and has drawn the red box in the final.

Rewind ( Collide – Ricky's Angel) is prepared by veteran trainer Maurie Strickland, has drawn the white box and has the enviable record of 12 wins from 15 lifetime starts.

Pantry Pat ( – Regent Ebony) has won 3 of 31 lifetime starts for Gary Johnson and will race from the white box.

The Bracknell based Strickland, best known as the trainer of the former champion hurdler Golden Unicorn, has yet to win an Illingworth Classic, but in Rewind has a great chance of doing so.

“He will have to improve still further to have a chance of beating I'm A Fencer, but he is racing well and with luck in running is a great winning chance,” he said on Tuesday.

A feature of this year's Illingworth Classic is the fact that four members of the Collide – Ricky's Angel litter whelped in February 2009 have .

Rewind, Miss Roman Nose, Strapper's Boy and Clyde's Angel were all bred by Rowella's Terry Penny and have won a total of 25 races between them.

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