Tim Zoo runs the 10th fastest maiden winning time in history on debut at Bendigo
Jason Thompson took the wrapping off a new potential top liner at Bendigo on Friday, when he trained Tim Zoo to win a heat of the Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV) Vic Breeders Maiden series on debut.
In his first race start, the son of Aussie Infrared and Double Supreme was well in the market with greyhound punters, starting an odds-on -250 favourite on greyhound betting apps.
Starting from box seven in the second of the five GRV Vic Bred heats, Tim Zoo was quickly in to stride leading to the first section mark in 6.51, with Pat Ability valiantly trying to go with the favourite.
In to the corner Tim Zoo cut-down on the other runner, and then proceeded to explode away from the rest of the field, going on to win in a flying 23.58.
Despite racing over just 425m, the 35kg black dog's most impressive section was his last 50m of the race, giving every indication that running out the 500m distances required for city class racing will represent no obstacle.
2023 Bendigo GRV Vic Breeders Heat 2 – Tim Zoo (23.58) T: Jason Thompson
To put Tim Zoo's run in to perspective, his winning time is within five lengths of the 23.28 track record set by Typhoon Sammy in October 2021.
Even the current 2023 Group 1 Brisbane Cup final favourite, Postman Pat, who is undefeated in Australia in seven starts since arriving from NZ; only managed 23.44 winning at Bendigo over 425m.
Bred by Glen Talarico, Tim Zoo has run close to within two lengths of Postman Pat's time, at his first race start.
With further improvement bound to come from the young 20 month old dog, Tim Zoo will be another exciting greyhound to watch coming through the Victorian greyhound lower grades.
Heading to next week's GRV Vic Bred Maiden series final, Tim Zoo has an almost four length buffer over the next fastest qualifier, the Brooke Ennis-trained Mr Kia Ora, who also won on debut in 23.81.
Tim Zoo's time of 23.58 is the 10th fastest winning time in a maiden race ever on record at Bendigo.
2013 Group 1 Golden Easter Egg winner, Grigorieva Bale, holds the maiden winning time record for Bendigo over 425m at 23.42 set back in 2012; but it was set at her second race start.
Tim Zoo's dam Double Supreme, was a twice city-winning middle distance winner at Sandown over 595m, among her eight victories from 47 starts.
Double Supreme's October 2021 litter to Aussie Infrared produced four dogs and one bitch, including Tim Zoo.
Jason Thompson's impressive debut winner is the first of the litter to race, while the only bitch in the litter is as yet unnamed.
The Aussie Infrared litter was her first mating, but she has since whelped a second litter to Bernardo in March 2023.