WHEN Bridport greyhound trainer Graeme Taylor bred a litter from his broodbitch Blitzing Chloe to popular sire Bit Chile he, like most trainer-breeders, was hoping for at least one handy performer.
But from the nine pups, comprising four dogs and five bitches, he has managed to get half the field (4) into the prestigious Gold Collar final in Launceston tonight.
Bit Hot Sally (box 1), Bit Hot Henry (2), Bit Hot Finchy (6) and Bit Hot Rusty (8) will wave the flag for the Taylor kennel and all three are winning hopes.
Bit Hot Finchy is drawn the worst of the trio in box six but he has the best form with dour wins and three minor placings from his 11 starts.
He won his heat last week and could not have been more impressive and would only need to step cleanly from the boxes to make his presence felt at the business end of proceedings.
Bit Hot Rusty also won his heat and from the outside box he only has to get clear racing room to the first turn to be a winning hope.
Bit Hot Sally was third to Bit Hot Rusty in their heat but it was a solid effort and she will appreciate the inside box while Bit Hot Henry was third to Bit Hot Frenchy in their heat starting from box eight but he will prefer being closer to the fence at the start from two.
It is not strange for one litter to dominate a feature race final but it is a first for Taylor who will be hoping for at least one of his quartet to emerge triumphant in a race that offer the winning connections a cheque for $5000.
Prominent owner-breeder Barry Heawood has two finalists in Wild Fling (3) and Wild Cindy (4) but both would have to improve sharply as they were both fourth in their respective heats.
The Gold Collar is race six on the card of 10 tonight and is scheduled to start at 9.19 pm.