Nevyl Hand continues good form with Maitland double
Trainer Nevyl Hand is having his most successful year to date and recorded multiple winners on a card for the second week in a row with a winning double at Maitland on Monday.
Dragging Boots lined up in the second race on the card as favourite, paying +120 with online greyhound bookmakers.
Jumping from box five in the 400m fifth-grade event, he got out to sit fifth with What A Knight (+10000) in the lead off the inside draw.
On the first corner, Drink Cruisers (+800) took the lead, with Dragging Boots given the perfect passage through the field to serve up a challenge.
Around the final corner and into the straight, Dragging Boots hit the front and ran on to beat home Rubeson (+240) and Give It Away (+310) by one-and-three-quarter lengths.
Dragging Boots stopped the clock in 22.50, cutting down his previous personal best of 22.53.
Maitland R5 replay – Dragging Boots (22.50) – T: Nevyl Hand
“He is a very fast dog,” Hand said.
“You only have to have a look at his Temora times to see that.
“Now he will step up to a longer journey and see if he can become a top-grade dog week in, week out.”
The Fernando Bale x Steel Toes dog has eight wins and five placings from 20 starts and is close to cracking $20,000 in career prizemoney.
In race nine, Big Thunder started as a +105 favourite and rewarded backers with a handy performance in his first look at the trip.
Out of box four in the 400m fifth-grade race, he speared to the front and dictated terms for the entire trip.
He kicked strongly before the post to beat home Pure Savage (+400) and Big Timer (+1400) by one-and-three-quarter lengths in a time of 11.56.
Maitland R9 replay – Big Thunder (22.56) – T: Nevyl Hand
Hand was impressed with the performance, knowing it was his first time out at Maitland.
“Very happy with Thunder's run as he went there blind and handled it very well,” he said.
The Barcia Bale x Amy's Firework dog has six wins and seven placings from 16 career starts and has banked $13,800 for connections.
Last time out, on September 7, Big Thunder saluted by six lengths, beating home Marvellous Mel and Two Coat at Gunnedah over the 340m.
On that card, Big Thunder was joined in the winner's circle by three other kennelmates: Final Countdown, Creator, and Born To Sparkle.
Hand has two runners engaged at Muswellbrook on Wednesday and a team of four to go around at Gunnedah on Thursday, with the trio of Final Countdown, Born To Sparkle, and Creator all looking to go back-to-back for the kennel.