Greyhound trainer Rodney Clark is hoping he can win his home Cup at his first attempt on Friday night.
Toolleen-based Clark has Wally Milne drawn in the red box for the final of the $47,000 to the winner Triple M Bendigo Cup.
"It would be huge if we could win because it's our local track and we know everyone there,'' Clark said on Tuesday.
Wally Milne is one of the outsiders of the field, but Clark expects the dog to run a big race.
"Wally is suited to box one,'' Clark said.
"He'll jump out and stay on the rail. It wouldn't matter if there was a brick wall on the rail he'd run through it.
"Box two (Crimson Vixen) should jump straight to the front and, hopefully, we get a nice sit behind.
"We'd be happy to run a place. Crimson Vixen is a five-length better dog than us, but you never know... favourites don't always win."
Clark's hopes of success on Friday night will increase if first emergency Kraken Lightning can force its way into the field.
"Kraken Lightning is very fast, but she brought herself undone in the heat from the outside box,'' Clark said.
"On her night she's a very fast dog...she could run a really big race if she gets a run."
After 27 years in the business, Clark is enjoying his most successful season.
Clark has the fourth most winners in Victoria this year and last November he won the Group Two Hume Cup with Shintaro Samurai.
It's a different world to when he first became attracted to the sport.
"I used to race pigeons down in Melbourne and a lot of the guys who race pigeons race dogs as well,'' he said.
"A couple of guys I knew raced dogs and I used to watch them.
"I came home with a pup one day and that was it. I went from feathers to fur."
Despite the recent success, Clark has no plans to expand his business.
"I tend to only train about 15 dogs at a time,'' Clark said.
"That's enough. If I had more I'd be cutting corners and not doing the job properly."
Clark and his assistant trainer Dallan Klemke carefully place their dogs to give them the best chance of success - even if that means long trips to Sale or Horsham.
"It's a mad passion, but I love it,'' Clark said.
"Up at 6.30am every day and there's some nights where we're not home until after midnight, but you still need to be up early the next morning.
"I love working with the dogs. They're beautiful animals.
"It's a lot of work, but we have a lot of fun with the people who race the dogs with us."
The Bendigo Cup meeting is on Friday night at Lords Raceway.
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