SECOND favourite Woodcock Hunting (7-2) surged through to win the $125,000 Carlsberg Macau Greyhound Derby at the Canidrome last night, despite making a poor start from her favourite rails box.
Keeping up the tradition established over the last three years, it was a Macau trainer who took the most important race in the calendar.
The trainer, Lam Yuen-sing, was ecstatic when his Australian-bred bitch hit the line five lengths clear of complete outsider Hunting Boat (50-1).
Race favourite Gold Apple (5-2), bidding to become the first American-bred dog to win Asia's richest greyhound race, finished fifth as Woodcock Hunting defied the critics - and her trainer - by coming from behind to win.
Long-standing Canidrome owner Ma Ping, who has over 40 dogs in training, beamed with delight as the presentations were made by Dame Winnie Ho, flanked by Carlsberg executives Edwin Lam and Derek Currie.
Trainer Lam said: ''I thought we had a good chance to win if my dog jumped from the inside. There were a lot of wide runners in the field and that was in our favour. But she missed the start and I was not hopeful.'' Woodcock Hunting came out of the traps last as That's Daffy (30-1), who eventually took third place, opened up a handy three-length break in the early stages of the 550-yard classic.
