Gilders bred Billy Creek himself and while the pup was on the lazy side on things, the trainer had thought there was something about him as he grew up.

"He just looked the part," Gilders said.

"I've seen photos of top dogs and he looked very much like them so I thought there could be a bit there."

It didn't show on the track immediately and Billy Creek was comfortably beaten in his first few trials.

When it came time for Billy Creek to step out for the first time competitively, Gilders made the trip from his home in the tiny town of Beryl, outside of Gulgong, to what he considers his home track of Dawson Park in Dubbo.

READ ALSO:

- Stars to converge on Dawson Park for riches of inaugural Country Classic

- Hancock adopts hard yards approach to prepare young Rams

- Outlaws' strength proves their undoing in Regional Bash collapse

Billy Creek had his first four starts there and while two wins and two placings was impressive, it wasn't until three successive starts at Bathurst in June did Gilders realise what his chaser was capable of.

"He won over there and then he ran fifth and I thought it was his run up to then but he just found trouble," Gilders said.

"His next start was over 520m and he went extraordinarily well and that was when we thought we had something."

There's been plenty more good times since and on Saturday night Gilders and Billy Creek will be out to score the biggest wins of their careers in the lucrative TAB Phoenix (525m).

One of the richest races in the country, the Phoenix is run at The Meadows in Melbourne and offers $750,000 to the winner.

The event is slightly similar to horse racing's Everest, with dogs competing for eight slots in the race.

Billy Creek secured the NSW Greyhound Breeders Owners and Trainers Association (GBOTA) slot by shocking his rivals in the Flight to the Phoenix Series at Wentworth Park last month.

He'll head to Melbourne later this week for the event and while it will be the chance of a lifetime, Gilders isn't giving the prospect of a fairy tale win much thought.

"You don't think that far ahead," he laughed.

"That only happens in the movies. It doesn't happen in real life.

"But it would be really nice to know you've done the work from the start to finish, with help from other people.

"It really would be phenomenal."

To save Gilders and, more importantly, Billy Creek plenty of travel the dog has been based with Robbie Britton in Melbourne in the lead-up to the weekend.

While it's been best for the dog, it's also given Gilders something of a rest as many of Billy Creek's lazy traits still remain.

"He's a different dog," Gilders said.

"He's the laziest thing you've ever seen. I can't get him to run behind the motorbike and he won't chase it.

"He might do it once a week otherwise he'll just look at you like 'no, I don't want to' so then I've got to walk him for three kilometres to keep him fit.

"He's always been the same, even as a pup. You'd let them out of the smaller yard and he'd run to his blanket and lay down to watch the others running around."

Billy Creek was a $41 outside chance for the Phoenix on Tuesday but his prospects received at boost at the weekend's box draw when he landed box one.

Gilders' hope will now start directly inside Jungle Deuce, another star from the western area.

Trained at Forbes by the champion Ray Smith, Jungle Deuce earned the Greyhound Racing NSW spot in the race after being declared the people's champion following a week-long vote.

Jungle Deuce has 18 wins and nine placings in 33 starts while Billy Creek has 10 and nine respectively in 22 races.

Gilders had never won in Sydney prior to victory in the Flight to the Phoenix Final but he knows he and Smith will be flying the flag for everyone in western area in Saturday's final.

"I think this will make it a hell of a lot stronger, too," Gilders said.

"Especially if we could get into the placings. I think it would give this area a big boost along."

The TAB Phoenix jumps at 6pm on Saturday night.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: