The Gary Portelli-trained Long Weekend starred on debut, but it was the run of Silver Slipper placegetter Born A Warrior which caught the eye at Kembla Grange on Thursday.
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Long Weekend made an instant impact by winning on debut over 1000m, as Rachel King poured on the pressure on board the colt and leader and favourite San Antonio had few answers.
But Born A Warrior - who finished second to Cosmic Force in a Group 3 Pago Pago in March last year and third in the Silver Slipper - finished in 32.47 seconds for the last 600m, storming down the outside and producing a hint of Chautauqua in the same colours for the Hawkes stable.
"You could see (Long Weekend) half-climbing and jumping out of his gears, he hasn't really been pushed out in a trial yet," Portelli said. "He didn't know what to do, he didn't know how to open right up.
"But I like the way he applied himself late.
"There was pressure on and he was there to be beaten, but he dug deep and that shows he's got a bit of class."
The blackbooks came out on Thursday at Kembla Grange as a rising class of three-year-olds made their mark.
Jockey Tommy Berry showed his class after well-supported filly Salateen went back from a wide gate to swamp the other favoured runner in the 1300m Maiden, the Matt Vella-trained Silent Tryst, to break through.
"One thing about her is she never stops trying, she has that good attitude," Snowden stable representative Colum McCullagh said.
"Now it's time for her to go out and furnish, she's still quite narrow in herself, I think we'll see a much better physical animal next time through, but she's got the mentality and that's what counts.
"It didn't really go to plan, but the more Tommy kept at her the more she gave, that's what you like to see with these young horses and Peter and Paul have done a great job with her."
The notable winners continues as three-year-old colt The Mediator took out a 1500m Maiden for Mark Newnham, while Rachel King finished with a double, after riding Long Weekend and Joe Pride's Patrolling.
Bowman appeals
Hugh Bowman's horror spring has continued after he was rubbed out for almost three weeks over his effort on beaten favourite Farnan in The Run To The Rose.
Saturday's Rosehill meeting was Bowman's first since serving a six-week careless riding suspension incurred over the race fall in July that left fellow jockey Andrew Adkins in hospital.
Pending appeal, Bowman will ride at Randwick on Saturday and at the Golden Rose meeting before returning for The Everest program on October 17. with AAP
Shima Shine's million-dollar Wow factor
Precious few have smashed through the 26 second barrier over the 472m trip at Bulli.
Even fewer have managed it and still been beaten.
But that was the case for the eye-catching white and brindle talent trained by Appin's Karina Britton called Wow, in qualifying for the Million Dollar Chase heat back at Bulli on Tuesday night.
Jumping from box eight, Wow stopped the clock in 25.97 seconds, but was still two lengths off Shima Shine, last year's Million Dollar Chase final runner-up.
Shima Shine's blistering time of 25.82 was four hundredths of a second outside the track record set by Aston Dee Bee in 2017.
Remarkably, Shima Shine returns to Victoria with trainer Andrea Dailly, before again being transferred to NSW under the care of Ross Davidson for Bulli heat.
"He'll go through his normal work program, he won't trial," Davidson told thedogs.com.au. "He will just work in the runs for the week. And then I'll meet back up with the (transport) company on Monday and we'll bring him back up again for the final next Tuesday."
It sets up a tantalising Bulli chase heat, with last year's final winner Good Odds Harada drawing box three, outside Wow in two, with Shima Shine to jump from eight.
Good Odds Harada won his qualifier in 26.17, the fastest time he's ever run at Bulli.
Shima Shine is listed $12 chance with TAB to win the final at Wentworth Park on October 16.
Good Odds Harada is rated a $26 shot to defend the title, with Wow at $34.
Barcia Bale product Simon Told Helen is the current favourite at $8.
Reform agenda: A welfare group is calling for more changes.
Welfare reform remains issue
A greyhound welfare group has continued its push for further industry reform, amid the build-up to the Million Dollar Chase series.
The Coalition For The Protection Of Greyhounds believes the sport needs to make further changes to lower the risk of injury and death, using statistics claiming there have been 17 serious injuries and one death at Bulli this year.
Greyhound racing has become a divisive political issue in NSW ever since the state government moved to ban the sport in 2017, only to backflip on the decision.
"There would be no greyhound racing without the betting industry. NSW could amend the Betting Tax Act 2001, which is already used to collect funds from the racing industry, to pay sanctuary operators and staff," coalition president Dennis Anderson said.
"The only way to end the dogs' suffering is to ban greyhound racing, but until that happens, the industry must reduce on-track deaths and injuries by making tracks safer by way of straight tracks and six-dog races."