RENEE Keeping continued her rate of improvement with an effortless win in the Lorraine Hudson Greyhound Wear 5th Grade Stakes over 400 metres yesterday at Dawson Park.
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The daughter of Bit Chilli x Sweet Keeping was fast out of box three and led all the way.
Starting favourite at $1.80, the Charmaine Roberts-trained bitch put 3-1/2 lengths on second placed Always Me ($10.40) with Defy Gravity 2-3/4 lengths third at $13.60.
That win took the winner's record to two wins and a second from three races.
Shane Stiff is a part-owner of the winner.
"Last week was a little disappointing (when she run second) but she's a good little bitch," Stiff said.
"After the first win she was carrying an injury so we had her on the lead for two weeks.
"Then on Sunday in a trail she went OK.
"We'd like to think she'll get over 500 as her mother run 600 and 700 so 500 shouldn't be beyond her.
"Our way of thinking is that we'll probably take her to Bulli for a couple of trials and see how she goes."
Stiff said he was pleased enough with the box three draw yesterday but was concerned about the speed inside her in the one box (Always Me).
"Last week my bitch led a length and got run down so I wasn't sure whether she'd chase or not if she had to chase," he said.
"But today she surprised me a bit when she got to the front and didn't let the others get close to her.
"The time wasn't real good (23.52 seconds) but the track doesn't look all that good either so we can't look too closely into that aspect of the race."
While the Charmaine Roberts kennels were pleased with the win of Renee Keeping, her litter brother, Skinny Keeping, didn't get a look in as $2.70 favourite in the Dubbo District Kennel Club Maiden Stakes (318m).
The black dog was making his race debut after a trial win but got a check early and lost all his chances.
The race was won by $7.30 chance Vila Joya - a fawn bitch having her first run at the track and was trained at Rutherford by Brad Canty.
She won by a length from Sista ($5.70) with Where's Bart ($8.20) 3-1/2 lengths back in third place.
The time was 18.61s.
Undoubtedly one of the best performances on the day came from the Graeme Smith-trained Maybelline Lady ($5.20) which put the sword through her opposition in the Job Care Cleaning 5th Grade Stakes over 400m.
That was her third successive win over the 318m at Dawson Park.
