With Lagoon Rhett surging clear down the back straight, the Richmond Vale trainer assumed he’d have to be content with a podium spot in the $75,000-to-the-winner decider.

But as the top-quality field entered the straight, Lagoon Rhett began to tire. It was then that Zipping Tayla pounced.

The bitch by Barcia Bale surged along the fence to snatch the richest prize in Illawarra greyhound racing by a half length over Peter Mantach’s Benkennie Chic, with the tiring Lagoon Rhett a half length away in third.

Mackay was rapt with the performance of his lightly-raced bitch.

It provided the highly-credentialed trainer with yet another group 1, but his first triumph in the Dapto Megastar.

“We have won plenty, don’t get me wrong, but you still have to have the right animal to win this sort of stuff. I am really happy,” Mackay said.

“I am happy with how she got it done. I thought she would lead and hang on but she has had to come from behind.

“She is a good little bitch. Full credit to her. That’s her 14^th start. To win a group 1 at your 14^th start is rare. You have to be pretty good to do that.”

Zipping Tayla ($4.40) made the best of a gun draw in box one. After jumping well, Mackay’s classy chaser punched up along the rails to land in the box seat behind Lagoon Rhett ($13).

Sharron Webster’s sprinter, which jumped from box seven, held a two-length break down the back and looked to have the race at his mercy.

But as he faded over the final 100m, Zipping Tayla stole a rails run with Benkennie Chic ($3.10) to gun down the early pacesetter in the straight in a time of 30.00 seconds.

“The boxes are a huge advantage. The closer in the better as long as you want a rail and that’s what she wanted to do,” Mackay said.

“She kept coming. It looked like we were racing for second or third there at one stage because Lagoon Rhett is a really strong, powerhouse dog.

“When he found the front he looked like he would be hard to beat but she kept coming to get the job done which was great.”

Zipping Tayla is beginning to build an imposing record early in her racing career. Her first group 1 success is the talented bitch’s seventh victory at her 14^th start, with five placings.

Mackay believes Zipping Tayla can continue to improve on the back of her maiden black type triumph.

“She is three months off reaching her peak because two and a half years to three years and a half years is usually the best time to race,” he said. “She has done a great job so far. She has only been out of the money twice.

“She is honest. Probably not the fastest thing around but she has a bit of ticker and wants to chase from behind.

“That gives you a bit of an advantage.”