EXCELEBRATION excelled and accelerated to give trainer Matthew Allen a celebration at the Tamworth Greyhound Racing Club course on Saturday.
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The black and white dog got a top run from the inside box to hit the fence in the 340m Hillview Superette Stakes and hold it from gate to post.
Only Lionel Worth’s runner Rigatoni could keep up with the two-year-old winner as the pair made it a two-dog race from first turn to the bottom of the straight where Excelebration found the Bathurst- trained dog a head short at the line.
It has been a while between drinks for Allen who thought Excelebration might be a chance once he drew the inside box.
“We have just been waiting for a good box,” Allen said.
“We have had a bad run of middle boxes and he has run into trouble every time.”
At Coonabarabran two weeks ago the dog managed to avoid trouble at the start but still found some later in the race to come in fifth.
There was none of that this week as the dog found the rail and then held Rigatoni off as they came down the straight neck and neck.
“He is only a two-year-old and is getting better,” Allen said.
“That was his best race since I have had him.”
Allen has got two wins from eight starts with the dog and is hoping to add a third when the Kootingal trainer returns to the track.
“Hopefully we will get that box again,” Allen said.
Guyra trainer Ben Vidler continued his good run with maidens when Miss Guyra won the first heat of the TGRC Blue Paws Maiden Series (340m) on Saturday.
He had also won a heat and final of the recent Maiden series at Armidale .
Miss Guyra was also the fastest of the three heat winners, scooting over the 340m in 20.27secs, .04secs quicker than Hayden Munn’s Grumpy Lumpy in the third heat and .38secs quicker than Wendy Buckley’s She’ll Escape in the second heat.
The final will be staged this Saturday and is worth $300 to the winner although there will be a $600 bonus if the winner is Blue Paws Bonus- nominated.