Take The Kitty, trained by Lochinvar’s Ken Cheetham, injured a pin muscle during a trial at The Gardens in the lead up to this weekend’s race.

Despite drawing the favoured box one for the 530 metre race at The Meadows on Saturday night, the injury has forced Cheetham to scratch his charge from the $72,500 feature, much to the disappointment of the syndicate of Maitland owners.

“It is bad luck at the wrong time,” syndicate member Wayne Lambourne told the Mercury yesterday.

“All the syndicate members were looking forward to it (the Temlee).

“But we have had a good run with our dog.

“He has been racing for 17 months and he has never really had any major injuries.”

The injured pin muscle, which is located near the dog’s front shoulder, will more than likely keep Take The Kitty off the track for at least six weeks, but Lambourne remained hopeful of future Group One glory.

“It (the pin muscle) has blown up out of proportion and he will be out for six weeks at least,” he said.

“Then it will be a matter of making sure he doesn’t do it again.

“Hopefully he will be back for the Golden Easter Egg.”

The Golden Easter Egg, worth an unprecedented $250,000 to the winner of Australia’s richest greyhound race, will be run at Wentworth Park on April 3.

In the meantime Lambourne and the rest of the syndicate will turn their attention to the NSW Greyhound of the Year awards, to be held in Sydney on Friday night.

Take The Kitty is in the running for the 2009 NSW Greyhound of the Year along side Miss Elly Mint, owned by Woodville’s Ray Watson, and Lilley Criminal.

“With a bit of luck we can grab a bit of a consolation,” Lambourne said.

* In other greyhound news, Maitland trainers Brett and Deborah May pocketed a cool $50,000 prize following the win by his charge Daydream in the National Futurity Final at The Gardens on Friday night.

Daydream won by four-and-a-quarter lengths to Mega Pixel while Cristalle finished a further one a half lengths back in third position.

May’s second chance in the race, Bit Stressed, finished sixth.

Reg Kay’s Elite Blue Size won the second feature race of the night, the National Derby Final.