Emma Pritchard

Close to 90 greyhounds jumped from the boxes across a 12-race program on July 2 as the Grafton Greyhound Racing Club welcomed guests to the first day of their 2023 July Racing Carnival.

The Fair Dinkum Builds @ CV Sheds Maiden Heats over 450m were among the feature races on the card.

A number of promising dogs and bitches headed onto the track for the first time, with the winners and fastest runners-up qualifying for the Fair Dinkum Builds @ CV Sheds Maiden Final, also run over 450m, to be held on July 12.

Short priced favourite Heidi Mcgraw was an impressive winner of Heat 1 for owner and trainer Christopher Spratt, running home in a smart time of 25.32 seconds in the fastest heat of the night.

Loving Smile may not have received much love from the punters, starting at 12/1 in Heat 2, but the talented bitch certainly made her owner and trainer Colin Graham smile when she overcame early trouble to race home from an outside box in 25.82 seconds.

Heat 3 went to Loving Smile’s littermate King Of Aces, also prepared by Colin Graham, who proved much more popular with the punters compared to his sister, starting the $2.60 race favourite and saluting in 25.72 seconds.

The final heat, Heat 4, went the way of another short priced favourite Ezra Man who pinged out of box 4 and lead all of the way, racing home in 25.48 seconds.    

Qualifiers Heidi Mcgraw, Kenzie Baskin, Loving Smile, Sterling Park, King Of Aces, Minter Win, Ezra Man, and Distant Flash will return to the track next week for the 450m Fair Dinkum Builds @ CV Sheds Maiden Final.

The Grafton Greyhound Racing Club will host their next race meeting as part of their 2023 July Racing Carnival on July 5.